


Where Your Treasure Is, There Will Your Heart Be

by onecoolcam, Vishan



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama & Romance, F/F, Regal Believer, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swan-Mills Family, Time Travel, swanqueen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-03-04 15:48:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 96,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3073460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onecoolcam/pseuds/onecoolcam, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vishan/pseuds/Vishan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Storybrooke’s characters face off against the Wicked Witch of the West, Regina realizes that to protect her heart from her sister, she must give it to her True Love… and that person is not who Tinkerbell thought.  An AU re-working of season 3B, starting with “The Tower.” This fic is SwanQueen-friendly! *Note - Emma and Regina got sucked through the time portal and are in the EF in the past!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We are neither A&E nor ABC; we do not own OUAT. We just play in a certain town in Maine and its fairytale land counterpart…
> 
> Rating is T for now - will go up later for various reasons.

The mansion was so very quiet and cold without Henry.  The silence was interrupted by the grandfather clock each quarter hour; it seemed to go through its motions even louder than Regina had remembered.  She paced and wandered the floors, reliving what it had been like to spend time with Henry today as they’d had toured the town together.

_My prince.  Who knows me only as Mayor Mills now, the nice but perplexing woman who has such a curious interest in him and his mother.  God, if he only knew…_

Regina sighed and lingered outside his room.  It was perfectly preserved and had - apparently - come back over in whatever curse that had re-created the town.  She remained outside the door for now.  There had been enough days and nights, since finding herself back in Storybrooke without him, grieving the loss of her son while curling up on his bed.  She’d known Henry was out there somewhere, with Emma, but that knowledge came with the acute awareness that neither of them had any memory of her.

_Wasn’t it enough to give them up when Pan’s curse struck?_ Regina lamented.   _Hadn’t I lost enough by losing him then?  Them?  How many times do I have to suffer and pay for my mistakes?!_

With an effort, she forced herself to go back downstairs and curled onto the couch with a glass of apple cider.  Regina’s mind went back to what Henry had said about life in New York:  how happy they were there.  She tried, but could not imagine the life they’d really experienced.  Her trips to Boston to adopt her prince had been brief and for strictly that purpose.  Regina had no concept of what it was to live in a thriving, bustling metropolis.  Truly, she had no idea what it was to have friends and a life that she could enjoy.  

“But, Henry will want to stay in Storybrooke.  Once he has his memories back,” Regina said aloud.  

There wasn’t much conviction to her words though.  Even if they were false memories that led them to New York, that year had been _real_.  She could only hope she was right and that the magic - literal and figurative - that came with Storybrooke’s small town charm would be enough for her son.  His _family_ was here.  

Her mind turned to Emma and, of course, Regina remembered how adamant Emma had been about _staying_ with her family when Pan’s curse was going to send them back to the Enchanted Forest. That had been impossible and that was why they’d been gifted with new memories that had led to tasting that happy, successful life with a new love in this Walsh character... even if that relationship had apparently gone south in more ways than one.

“But, that was before she found Snow very pregnant in her absence,” Regina mused with a shudder.  It was obvious that that troubled Emma.  She sipped her drink, then sighed again.  “Not to mention that she has the disgusting pirate hanging about her.  His intentions are clear as ever.  The year didn’t pale his feelings any.”

_Did they minimize your feelings, Regina?_

“No.  The year did not.  Even if I can’t _remember_ that year.”  She frowned at the inner thought.  “And, I am talking to myself as I sit alone in my house.  This is _not_ good.”

The brunette rose and resumed her pacing, glass dangling loosely from her fingers.  The grandfather clock continued to tick away the evening.  Regina debated calling Emma, or simply dropping in on the Charming’s again, even though it cut so deeply to see Henry without his memories of her.  But, for all that Henry _had_ thought she had changed and was no longer a villain, she had been a queen and pride demanded that she show no weakness… especially in front of Snow and David.  Old habits died hard.

Regina downed her cider and carried the glass to the kitchen.  She washed it methodically and put it away, then went back to her study and released the magic that protected what tomes she kept in the house instead of at her vault.  For as miserable as she was, there was still this problem of a wicked witch in town, who had broken into her office, and was threatening everyone in Storybrooke with a plot that no one could fathom.  Regina studied her texts in case there was anything she could learn.  

“Well, that was a waste,” she snarked an hour later.  “It’s not as if mother - or anyone else - had tomes on how to defeat witches from Oz.”

Then, Regina froze.  An idea batted back and forth in her mind and she went to the shelves of VHS tapes that she’d purchased for Henry over the years.  A fingertip pressed to her lips, brown eyes scanned the shelves until she found the title she was searching for.  She stared at the cover featuring Dorothy Gale on her yellow brick road, the wicked witch’s long, green fingers reaching for her menacingly.

“What the hell… perhaps it will provide an insight that we’ve yet to consider.  After all, didn’t Henry’s book do the same for him with my curse?” Regina asked no one in particular.  Sighing at talking to herself again, she carried the video cassette into the living room and cued up the movie.

* * *

Even under the hushed mutterings of her parents, Emma could hear Henry tapping away at the kitchen table, tirelessly working his way through the latest level on his handheld gaming device. It was the same game they played over and over again back in New York, a fantasy game of all things. Nowhere near the same fantasy level as fairytale characters running around in the real world, but the irony never escaped the Savior since she took the restoration potion from Hook of all people. And without having their memories, there was no way to confirm if it had been her parents who had actually sent Hook on some grand quest to find her.  Emma found it peculiar that if Snow White and Prince Charming had sent an urgent note to him about their daughter, trying to kiss her to break the spell she was under was his first option.  Did he honestly believe they could be true loves?!  

Then to top it all off, the Wicked Witch of the West was real and was gunning for her family. She had already taken David’s sword hilt for who knows what nefarious plot because pretending to be a midwife for Mary Margaret seemed far more devious than messing with just David. Curses and bad guys, or girls in this case, were always after her family. It was swiftly becoming old real fast, especially after the peaceful life that they had together in the last year.

The memories of their entire lives leading up to that year may have been a gift from Regina, but that year of them living together and being a family was real. There was no magic, curses, pining pirates, savior status, or parents that were the same age as her. It was a normal life up until her boyfriend turned into a flying monkey.

“Emma?” Mary Margaret’s voice roused her from her thoughts, still staring into the untouched mug full of coffee. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” She straightened up from her slouched position with a smile that attempted to portray that she was just ‘all right’.

“I know it’s been difficult with Henry’s memories … the way they are, but you’re doing the best you can considering the circumstances.” Mary Margaret was as sweet as ever, trying to help Emma with what she perceived the problem to be. She was just off base this time, but it wasn’t as if Emma couldn’t see where she was coming from. From her perspective, Emma had been brooding, her gaze fixed upon Henry when she wasn’t really paying attention at all to what was going on around her.

She shrugged, glad that her son was plugged in with his earbuds so they could talk a bit more freely. “It is what it is. He’ll get them back, and we’ll figure out the witch’s plan and stop her.”

“And get our memories back too, I hope?” She wanted it to come off as a joke, but her voice was haunted as she rubbed the swell of her pregnant belly.

“Of course. It’s on the to do list …” she smiled, cutting herself off before what the savior really wanted was revealed to her mother and created more drama in an already drama-filled landscape.

That small reassurance uplifted Mary Margaret visibly, almost to where her smile held little to no fears. “We’ll figure this out. Like you said. I’m just glad you’re here, Emma.”

Despite the quick smile of supposed acceptance of being back, Emma’s heart wasn’t in it and was relieved when her mother stepped back to join David, missing the brief glimpse of hesitation in those emerald eyes.

What she couldn’t voice yet, not until the latest Storybrooke crisis was averted, was this crazy town was the last place where she wanted to raise Henry. All it brought were dangers and heartache. Even New York was ruined because of it. Of course, one could argue that Storybrooke would always find a way to lure the savior back, that it was an unavoidable destiny of how her life was tied into this town because of the curse that she destroyed. _Regina’s_ curse.

_How can I ever explain to her that I want to take Henry away for his own good? That I just want to protect him?_

That’s what gave her great pause. How Regina would feel. Not how her parents would feel. Or the town. She didn’t care about their feelings because they certainly never tried to care about hers since their memories returned upon waking Henry with True Love’s Kiss. She was the Savior of Storybrooke, no longer the Sheriff of a town she was quietly getting to enjoy - despite a Mayor that was hellbent on making her life miserable. But, it was for a reason that Emma couldn’t entirely blame Regina for. Emma was perceived as a threat and Regina could only do what she was good at when backed into a corner, fight.

She found herself smiling for those days when things made a lot more sense. It was perhaps a crazy thought but she missed the mother she has as a friend. Someone she could actually talk to versus this stranger that was going on and on in Neverland wanting a second chance at raising a kid.

_Forget about the one you already have and wanting to get to know me. Have your fucking do over. I’ll be long gone when this is over…_ She was surprised by how much anger she was keeping inside, but it really was just a continued avalanche of feeling unwanted by her parents since Neverland. Coming back here, seeing Mary Margaret pregnant, was just the final slap in the face. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t understand why her parents wanted another child. She did get that need, but they never talked about it. Together. Like a family should.

“Emma?” Her father’s voice broke her thoughts this time and she found it grating. “Could you come here. We’ve some ideas on how to utilize our resources in finding Zelena.”

“Yeah.” She spared a glance over at Henry, who looked up in time to meet her gaze. His smile gave her momentary comfort to face her family despite the tumultuous storm warring in her heart. “I’m coming…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma search for clues to the Wicked Witch's whereabouts ...

Regina felt tension tightening the muscles at the back of her neck and shoulders.  Again, she wondered how many times she had to pay for her mistakes and choices; how unfair was it to have to align herself with the Charmings - yet again - while having Henry oblivious to her identity and Emma being… Emma.

 _But my sweet prince isn’t even here.  The damned pirate is keeping him occupied.  How cozy_ are they _that Emma trusts them spending time together like this?_

That thought alone made Regina extremely cranky.  She sighed and rolled her shoulders, trying not to think about how well they must have bonded in Neverland, and perhaps in New York City when Hook had come to find her.

_Ugh.  Just stop._

To Mary Margaret she snarked, “I can’t believe you trusted Zelena to be your midwife without any references.  Just welcome the enemy right into your home?  Really?”

“Hey! Since when does anyone around here check references?” Emma snapped back, before adding another comment when she remembered one incident where references had been thoroughly checked. “Unless you’re a new deputy in town, I’m pretty sure most here go on the honor system.”

Regina rolled her eyes, remembering how Graham had hired Emma just to spite her!  But pointing that out would be completely unproductive and would bring up issues that she would rather leave buried. 

“Besides… she had seemed nice and was so helpful,” Mary Margaret protested meekly.

Regina shot her an incredulous look; the woman almost sounded like her cursed self rather than Snow White.  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Whatever.  We need to take the fight to her because this reacting defensively isn’t helping us,” she said.  “That means we need to find her and _really_ figure out what she _wants_ with us.”

“Agreed,” David said with a nod.  Arms folded across his chest, he suggested, “Why not go back to where she taunted me in the forest and start a search from there?  It’s our last known location for her or her magic.”

Mary Margaret nodded. “I can help track her!  That’s what I’m _good_ at.”

“Mary Margaret, we’ve been over this.  You’re nine months pregnant!  It’s just not safe for you to be trekking through the forest!” David insisted.

Regina lifted a brow at the domestic spat and looked to Emma.  “Perhaps _we_ should go and hunt for Zelena while they argue over her proper role in this mess?”

“ _You_ want to go traipsing through the woods with me?” She looked down at the killer heels Regina was wearing. “You’re gonna kill yourself.”

“Then I’ll borrow some of your combat boots,” Regina said with a snide glance at the blonde’s footwear.  Then, she sighed and waved a hand.  She offered a terse, “Sorry.”

“We have to band together!” Mary Margaret insisted.  “If Zelena tears us apart, she’ll achieve whatever it is she’s planning for sure!”

Regina sighed again.  “At least on that, we can agree.  Can we take action then, or is there more we wish to talk about?”

“Regina’s right. The more we wait around and do nothing, Zelena has more time to prepare for whatever it is she’s planning,” David said firmly. “But that still doesn’t change the fact you’re pregnant, Snow. It’s _not_ safe.” He gave her a sharp look because he knew that determined one glaring back at him. The one where Snow would argue him to death until she finally agreed with him, and then somehow manage to sneak out into the woods to look for Zelena regardless of his disapproval.

“You really need to listen to David. Forget the physical demands of being _as_ pregnant as you are, believe _me_ I know,but Zelena wants something from the baby. You can’t be this stubborn right now. You have someone else’s life you’re looking after. And that’s not fair to _them_ ,” she said passionately, watching as her mother slowly began to back down and that fiery spirit diminish. The savior wasn’t going to have Mary Margaret put her needs before another child of hers if she could do something about it. If her mother wanted a do-over, she needed to do it right, and not be so selfish in wanting to do what she thought was best without thinking of the unintended consequences.

Mary Margaret went quiet, contemplative, as Emma went back to Regina’s suggestion. “Look, you two should stay here. Just in case Zelena comes back for any reason - as unlikely as that is. But better to be safe. Regina and I can go out looking for her. Despite the snarkfest, it’s really not a bad idea. And we’ll keep in contact too.”

She sighed, remembering that Henry would be back here soon with Hook. “Plus, we need you guys here when Henry gets back. Let him know where I went off to. But what do we tell him? I’m sure a girl scouting expedition into Storybrooke’s woods with its Mayor won’t fly.”

Hating that there was - conveniently - not enough potion to bring back Henry’s memories _and_ hating that they were forced to lie to him about the true nature of what was transpiring, Regina’s expression turned stormy and the ache in her shoulders intensified.  

“You’re supposedly here for your ability to find people, so that is honest enough as to what we are doing,” she pointed out.  “Henry won’t like it, but it is the truth.”

“Yeah,” she agreed somberly. Like Regina, Emma hated lying to Henry but this was the closest angle they could use for the truth. “Let him know I’m still helping the Mayor track down someone. I’ll fill in the rest when we get back.”

“Let’s get on with this then,” Regina said.  “We’ll be in touch.”

* * *

 

After a short, strained debate about who’s vehicle they would take out to the woods - Regina’s Benz or Emma’s Bug - the compromise was to take a squad car.  Emma was rightfully behind the wheel with a closed-off and uncomfortable-looking Regina in the passenger seat.

 _I should try and speak with her.  We never have time to talk, and now that we’re “friends,” we should… right?_ Regina thought.

“Henry said you had quite the apartment in New York.  Nice view and all…” she said, glancing at Emma out the corner of her eye.

Regina was standoffish towards her in an oddly polite sort of way. She was closed off because Henry didn’t remember her, had to work with Emma’s parents, and was ignorant of what happened in the last year. She was unable to be in control, and the blonde knew that Regina was seething far more underneath then she let on.  That was why Emma left the Mayor alone as they drove, knowing that any attempt at smalltalk would probably be misconstrued as pity. And she really didn’t want to fight with the brunette. It was different coming to the defense of Mary Margaret when Regina was borderline hostile, but there was just too much going on in Emma’s head to be trying as hard with her as she usually did.

 _And bringing up how I want to go back to New York with Henry is soooo not happening right now,_ Emma thought.

She hid her surprise well enough when Regina brought up New York all on her own, almost like they were thinking about the same thing - just quite differing implications of the city that Henry and Emma called home in the last year. Mainly it was the fact it was _Regina_ who spoke first that had caught her off guard, not necessarily the city itself.

_But is it all that crazy for her to ask about her son and the life he had?… No. Not at all._

“He told you that on your ice cream adventure?” she prodded, wondering if the mayor would open up more about what the two of them talked about.

Looking straight out the front window of the patrol car, Regina nodded.  “Yes.  Under the pretense of having known you in the past - without any detail about that, mind you - I asked Henry what life was like in the Big Apple.  Nice, by the way, that _that_ was where you settled.  Pun intended?”  She smirked to herself.  “He talked about his school, his friends. Your life there, in general.”

 _Walsh_ , she thought to herself, but did not say.

Emma paused at Regina’s attempt at humor, smiling lightly. “Maybe the memories you gave us were biased to the nickname?” she teased back.

 _Boston was out for some reason and I think that had to do with Regina adopting Henry there. Or maybe how close it was to Storybrooke?_ She honestly didn’t know the answer. “Nice he gave you some more info than what we talked about before. You know? When we were on stakeout.” Eyes flickered towards Regina sympathetically. “It’s good you two actually talked about stuff there.”

 _Even with his memories still gone about you. It’s still something,_ she thought, keeping that to herself. They were so alike with their heads full of unspoken thoughts that would be too painful to broach in open conversation.

Regina made a soft noise at the back of her throat, dissatisfied with Emma’s reply.  Not that they’d ever really been friends, but their relationship had surely changed since the damned failsafe diamond.  Or at least, so Regina had felt.  And as a result, she’d hoped for more of an honest talk about the year Emma and Henry had spent away from Storybrooke.  Away from her.

“Yes.  He was unfailingly polite and… charming.”  Regina simply couldn’t pass that one up.  She sighed.  “Henry offered a glimpse into the good year you’d had together, while it was just part of his life’s narrative for him.  He did say that _you_ had been quite happy…”

“He did, did he?” she said, being non-committal as she turned the patrol car down the main road which would bring them closer to where David had been attacked. “It’s not a false statement. I was. You gave us the necessary tools for a good life, Regina. But … it didn’t matter. Fantasyland still found me and ruined everything.”

The brunette scowled.  “I’m sorry you feel that remembering us is so terrible and detrimental.”

Regina closed herself off then, arms folded over her chest in a clearly defensive and aggravated posture.  Truly, she didn’t know what else she expected out of Emma given how profound the good memories had been that she’d blessed them with, what only felt like days ago to her.  Emma had grown up without magic, had grown up in the “real” world, and so… why wouldn’t New York feel right, despite the fact that she _had_ come back when she regained her memories?

“Wait... _what?_ ” Emma’s tone conveyed her confusion, head snapping back against the seat in shock. “I didn’t mean _that!_ I’m not upset that I remember everything. I’m upset that …” she stopped there, shaking her head in clear aggravation that Regina was immediately taking things so personal. It made her struggle, not wanting to open up about what really bothered her about New York.

“It’s fine, Miss Swan.  Except for where Henry’s concerned, it is really none of my business,” Regina replied coldly.  “Let’s just focus on what we’re out here to do.”

_What were you thinking?  She might know you’ve changed - or are trying to - and she might understand you wanted to give them a good life, but villains do not get happy endings, Regina.  Emma isn’t interested, nor will she ever be.  Get a hold of yourself._

“But it does concern Henry,” she countered, pushing through the grating tone of her formalized name spoken and Regina amping up the bitchiness.. “He _honestly_ didn’t tell you about Walsh?”

“Of course he did,” she snapped irritably, before thinking she should’ve moderated her tone.  But now, Regina was on a roll and couldn’t seem to hide the jealousy in her voice much less everything on her mind.  “That you were quite close.  He’d proposed.  Henry worded it, however, that if you’d accepted his proposal, you wouldn’t be here now on this peculiar job.

Thankfully no one else was on the road when the savior slammed on the brakes, flipped on her hazards, and put the car in park.  Regina yelped.

Emma whipped her head around and all but snarled at the former evil queen. “I didn’t accept his proposal because _I_ wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do. Which was a good thing considering the bastard turned into a flying monkey. So my apologies, _your Majesty,_ for not being clear on what particular parts of fantasyland were pissing me off!”

From a tactical point of view, what Regina realized was that Zelena’s reach had extended far beyond Storybrooke.  If this Walsh had been a _flying monkey_ , it meant Zelena had deliberately inserted him into Emma and Henry’s life.  Whether it was to keep her distracted and away from Storybrooke or for some other diabolical purpose, understanding that her influence was that far-reaching kept the mayor silent.  Regina had sent them away so they could survive Pan’s curse, and had unwittingly put Emma and Henry into harm’s reach while she’d been… well, she still didn’t know where she’d been in the last year!

“I apologize for intruding,” she said crisply, not giving away any indication of how deeply she felt about this.  “As I said, it was none of my business.  But… I am sorry for what you had to find out, Emma.  That is... unpleasant.”

The hard lines of anger softened in hearing Regina actually speak her name, and she looked away. “Thanks,” she said soberly and shifted the car back into drive. “I should’ve known it was too good to be true. Even before I got my memories back. Probably why I hesitated at the proposal to begin with. I knew … _something_ was off. Just, why not sooner?” she said this absently as she resumed taking them towards their destination, her thoughts now given substance as they were spoken aloud for the first time.

Regina assumed that Emma was musing to herself, and didn’t know how to respond anyway.  It wasn’t as if she could dare to hope that - somehow - Emma felt anything for her beyond loathing, pity, or strained patience.  It wasn’t as if some part of Emma’s heart and soul could remember _her_ , not when Storybrooke had ceased to exist for that year.  Or had it?  Regina flat-out had no clue.  But, she felt badly for her that Emma expected relationships to fail.  She knew all too well how _that_ felt.

“I think this is the spot,” Regina said of the stretch of forest.  “We should start our search here.”

Emma slowed the car and looked around to gauge the area before nodding.  “Yeah. I think you’re right.”

All thoughts of Walsh and New York were squashed away for now since they had arrived - Emma grateful for something tangible to be doing instead of focusing on her immediate past. Things had become pretty heated between her and Regina, but they knew their triggers so well that it was easy to rile the other one up with little provocation. She was also quite relieved that, in her anger, she hadn’t spilled her feelings on going back to New York - memories of monkey boyfriends aside.

Pulling the patroller to the side of the road, she shut it down and checked her gun out of habit. Regina was the veteran magic user here and when compared to Emma’s talents?  The savior might as well be considered a hack magician. She would probably have more success at pulling a rabbit out of a hat then lighting another candle on command. Which was sad really. She was already hearing Regina’s voice inside her head, lecturing her all about that wasted potential inside of her...

She stepped out of the vehicle and walked down the side of the road, looking for any signs of David’s initial presence here and where she had drove up in her Bug. It hadn’t rained, so his tracks shouldn’t be too disturbed to pick up.

“Here we go,” she announced, pointing at the ground. Emma raised her hand slowly to where her father’s footsteps trailed off further into the forest. She glanced back at Regina then, lowering her hand with a smirk as her eyes drifted right back to their previous point of contention - the brunette’s high heels. “Seriously. You’re going with _those_ ,” she said, glancing back briefly towards the woods, “to go in _there?_ You’re really sure about that?”

Regina lifted an eyebrow and shook her head slightly.  “Focus on his footprints, not mine.”

Hands slipped into the pockets of her coat, she followed just behind Emma as they pursued David’s trail to the point where he had clearly battled his magical nemesis.  Boot prints were everywhere and the underbrush was trampled.  As far as Regina could tell, however, they were David’s prints alone.

“It’s too bad _she_ didn’t drop something out here,” she remarked, thinking of how a locator spell would make this so much more convenient.  “We’re nearly on the town’s border.  There isn’t much out this way…”

Regina did a slow pirouette, hoping for a magical tug in any particular direction.  She wasn’t _feeling_ anything, though, and that was incredibly frustrating.  The mayor paced away from the scene of David’s fight, moving deeper into the forest as she searched for magical and non-magical clues.

Emma shrugged slightly, crouched by the outlining signs of her father’s struggle. “That would be too convenient for us,” she said in agreement, “and that _never_ happens.”

She straightened up, knowing that everything was a struggle. That wasn’t all inclusive to Storybrooke crises. Emma’s interpersonal relationships with its citizens were filed under that description too. Perfect example was of her relationship with Regina – who had now walked off in some random direction. She threw up her hands and sighed.

“ _Really?_ Course she wanders off without telling me why.”

Maybe something jogged the mayor’s memory about the surrounding areas when she was muttering out loud? She bit back yelling out a “Be careful” that was on her tongue, not wanting to draw attention to them, or having Regina’s feathers ruffled for a genuine remark towards her safety. So she searched the area instead. Maybe Zelena left a clue after all, but Emma came up empty-handed in short time, frustrating her immensely. So she decided to hunt down Regina after all, because she didn’t want them separated for too long without knowing the witch’s endgame ...

“I don’t remember _that_ being out there…” Regina said to herself.

Regina had wandered a good distance away from Emma and found herself at the edge of a clearing, where a small, old farmhouse stood.  Her brow furrowed, certain that such a remote residence had not originally existed in Storybrooke.   _Does that mean there are buildings that have come with the new curse, that weren’t here before?_ She turned back to seek out Emma, thinking that this could be the break they were looking for.

“Hey!” Emma was visibly relieved at seeing Regina, knowing she was safe. Yet despite the immediate comfort, Emma had to temper her anger at the mayor for wandering off without a word. Baiting for another fight wasn’t useful at all, even if it was out of concern. They were back on track since the spat in the patrol car - working together. And Emma really liked it when they were in synch. “You find anything?”

“Maybe.  That farm was _not_ here with the original curse.  I think that bears investigation, don’t you?”

It wouldn’t be too much further of a walk as far as she’d already wandered through the woods.  Regina pursed her lips and watched the property a moment longer, taking note that there was no sign of activity and - from this distance - no lights on inside the farmhouse.  She glanced at Emma, awaiting the sheriff’s decision, quietly admiring her profile.

The savior agreed with that statement and pulled out her gun, releasing the safety. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

Emma, truthfully, was still learning everything there was to know about Storybrooke. Her time as sheriff only had given her the real world basics of the town, forgoing caverns under the library, magical triggers in tunnels, and barriers keeping the folks inside the border. There was always some new magical issue to understand - so if Regina said that this place didn’t exist before, she believed her.

She immediately took point, leading the way onto the property, eyes and ears vigilant for any signs of movement or peculiar sounds. Approaching the house itself, she slowly walked up the stairs, looking back and forth down the porch. It felt completely _off_ around the property, but nothing came to mind as to what the source of her unease was. 

“Magical senses tingling yet?” she asked quietly, reaching for the screen door.

“Maybe.  I watched the film the other night.  Looking for clues.”   Regina lifted her brows at Emma’s expression.  “What?  Henry unraveled everything about my curse from a book.  Why not go to the movie for hers?  Anyway, Dorothy was running for the storm cellar--”

Regina pointed across the lawn to the protruding doorway.

“--so perhaps we should too?”

Not waiting for Emma’s response, the mayor trusted her instincts and started in that direction, expecting her to catch up.  Her back to Emma then, Regina allowed herself to smile; she was enjoying working with her and spending time with her.  They hadn’t had this opportunity since Neverland.  It was nice.  Away from the Charming’s and Hook, Regina saw they truly did work well together.

“Seriously?” she let go of the door, hearing it thud against the frame - and if there was anyone home, their talking would have given them away already, not the door closing. The place appeared to be uninhabited anyway - no aromas of cooking, a fire burning, or lights on. Just a chicken behaving obnoxiously around the corner, clucking at the intruders on her home.

“Ah, shoo!” She waved off the hen with her gun, “before I make you into Kentucky Fried chicken!”

She shambled down the stairs and followed after Regina, refocusing, keeping the mayor covered as they closed the distance towards the cellar.

“Unlocked.  That’s curious, I’d say…”

With a flick of her wrist, she pulled the cellar door back and ducked out of the way in case someone or something shot out.  For all they knew, it could be where she kept spare flying monkeys!  But, nothing happened.  

“Savior’s first?” Regina asked with a wink as she looked from Emma to the inky blackness down the steep stairs.

Her eyes narrowed, lips drawn in a thin smirk. “Sure thing, your Majesty.” This time those words were not spoken in spite but playfulness. _And the hell was that wink for?_ Not really a thought that could be continued at present.

She moved past Regina and onto the first step, weapon at the ready. “Just cue up a fireball for just in case.”

Regina smiled in amusement at her title being thrown back at her, then nodded and had her magic at the ready.  

Slowly she worked her way down, eyes adjusting to her surroundings. Even with the light offering some illumination, it didn’t reveal the entire story here. Emma felt that this area of the farm really smelled like one - fresh hay was tickling her nose and she had to fight back a sneeze.  She caught the shine of metal and was happy to find the light cord. Tugging it on, she grimaced, the brightness overpowering her briefly. It was her immediatea surprise that opened them fully, because she wasn’t sure what she was seeing was real.

“Is that…?” she asked, looking at the opened cage dubiously and what lay within it - a spinning wheel moving of its own accord.

Navigating the narrow stairs into the cellar had been more difficult in her heels than she would’ve guessed, but Regina didn’t make a sound.  She was not going to give Emma an “I told you so” moment!  But that was why it took her a moment longer to see what Emma was referring to.  She came to stand behind her and took in the sight of the caged spinning wheel and the straw that had very clearly been turned to gold.  

Regina smiled darkly.   _He’s alive.  He may have been trapped by her, but clearly, Gold is not here now.  He’s alive after all!_

“Yes.  It seems Gold survived yet again...”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt for Zelena continues ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neal and Robin are in this chapter, but again to emphasize that this is a SwanQueen fic. 3A is canon for our story and there are issues that need to be worked on and addressed so our ladies can move forward together. =)

Following what she’d dubbed as the “war council meeting” at Granny’s, Regina had left the company of the Charming’s and Emma to go back to Zelena’s farmhouse to investigate.  Emma’s quiet advice to “Be careful” was still rattling around her mind as she drove out to the far edge of Storybrooke’s perimeter.  

 _And that caring is exactly why I need to do this alone,_ Regina thought.   _Emma expressing care for my well-being makes my heart beat too fast and makes me hope.  I can’t afford to hope.  Nothing good ever comes when I do_.   _Not that it hadn’t been enjoyable to search the forest and the root cellar with Emma… it’s nice that we have learned to get along, but I cannot hope for more._

Regina sat in her Benz in the gravel driveway at the remote farmhouse, staring toward it without really looking at the home.  With a sigh, she climbed out of the car.  She checked the entrance to the cellar where they had found evidence that Gold was alive but found no trace of him at the moment.  She paused to wonder about that; how _had_ Gold survived?  And what was he doing here, at Zelena’s?  What on earth had _happened_ in their lost year?

She turned away from the cellar and started up the driveway toward the house.  Acting entirely on instinct, Regina sidestepped and reached out her hand.  She snagged an arrow out of the air and turned to scowl darkly at the shooter.  Narrowed brown eyes took in the sight of a thinly bearded man, perhaps a bit older than her, who stood with a crossbow.

“Granny has a better aim than you do,” she snarked at the stranger.

“Apologies, m’lady. I thought you were the wicked witch.”

 _Who is he?  I don’t recall him from the last, oh, 28 years of the curse!_ Regina thought, exasperated at yet another surprise in her town.

“I am no witch.  I am… well, was, the queen.  Now, the _mayor_ of Storybrooke,” Regina retorted.

“Oh, I know who you are, m’lady.  Regina Mills,” he said.  

She wondered if there was something in his tone, the way he’d said that.  Perhaps she was just too used to people snarling her name or adding a curse word or two to it.

“Then you have the advantage,” Regina replied.

“Robin of Locksley,” he said with a courtly bow.

“Robin Hood?” she asked, eyebrow arched.  “What are you doing here?”

“I am hunting a witch, as I just endeavored to demonstrate.  My camp is in the woods not far from here, and so I wanted to help,” he explained.  Robin gestured back toward the house.  “I was checking the perimeter when I heard a sound.  The sound that was you.”

 _And how did_ you _know this was Zelena’s farmhouse?_ Regina wondered immediately.  The members of the “war council” had been extremely limited, and unless Granny had a meeting afterward with the Society of Crossbow Owners where she just happened to mention this little detail, there was something peculiar about Robin Hood knowing what they’d only just discovered themselves.  Regina decided to keep this fact to herself and play the game of keeping friends close, but enemies closer in order to keep an eye on him.

“Well, perhaps we should investigate together then since our interests are aligned,” she suggested, handing the arrow back to him.

“I’d like that, m’lady.”

“Call me Regina,” she said, starting toward the porch.

With Robin following her, Regina checked through the windows into the farmhouse and saw - as Emma had before - that it looked lived in, but presently unoccupied.  She wondered where Zelena went when she wasn’t home then.  What was she doing?

“Let’s have a look around…”

“The mayor is breaking and entering?” Robin asked, mirth in his voice.

Regina shot him a look over her shoulder as she used magic to unlock the door. She snorted.  “I’m confident the sheriff will provide a search warrant if it becomes an issue.”

 _And the sheriff is… David?  Or does it default back to Emma now that she’s back?_ Regina mused as she and Robin entered the quaint cottage.  It was something that - as mayor - she ought to formally establish.  After all, Emma was - she was amused to admit - the rightful sheriff of Storybrooke.

Going from room-to-room in the small house, she found that there were no magical items or anything that would suggest anything special about Zelena based on the home itself.  Robin trailed her and asked questions about this or that, making her inwardly smirk at what a rube he was.

“Did you say that you live in the forest?” Regina couldn’t help but ask.

“Aye, m’lady… Regina.  Myself and my Merry Men.”

She made a face, and was glad that her back was to Hood in that moment.  “I see.  And you’ve been camped out there for some time?”

“Well, as long as any of us with this _curse_ ,” he replied.

Regina nodded, but was disappointed that she had been unable to catch him in a lie just then.  She moved into the kitchen and studied the spices and liquids on Zelena’s shelf.

“There’s nothing here.  Nothing magical,” she growled, weary of this search coming up empty.

“Nothing magical?”

Regina turned toward Robin, lower back pressed up against the counter.  He was most definitely _in her space_ and only because she was trying to be _good_ did she resist throwing him backward with magic.  Instead, she just looked concerned as Robin leaned closer.  

_Oh my god, what is he thinking?  Does he think to try and kiss me?!_

But, his arm moved past her, plucking a decanter from the shelf.  Robin smiled at her.  “This isn’t magical?”

“Not… on its own.  But, it has some magic-like properties, depending on the circumstances.  It’s whiskey.  A spirit in this land,” Regina replied.

Again, she had the prickling feeling that there was something _amiss_ about all of this.  And that only intensified when Robin reached for a pair of glasses and suggested pouring for them both.  It was not an appropriate time to share a drink, and why would they anyway?  He was a stranger to her, and Regina knew he was withholding information too!  

“We’re going to have a drink?  Now?” she asked.

“Well, why not?  The situation could certainly warrant it, yes?” he replied.

 _The situation?_ Regina wondered.  She didn’t ask for clarification, however, because - as he offered the glass to her - a very familiar and dark tattoo was exposed on the inside of Robin’s wrist.  Once upon a time, she had been a lonely and depressed queen who had been guided to “the man with the lion tattoo” by fairy dust and that terrible fairy, Tinkerbell. Tink had insisted that said man was her second chance at finding love.  

Regina paled, then brushed past him.  “I don’t have time for a drink.  I… I have to go.”

The mayor stormed through the farmhouse and was out the door and marching toward her car almost faster than Robin could pursue her.  Regina saw him, looking bewildered from the porch, as she backed out of the drive at a reckless speed.

* * *

 

Even Emma had to admit to herself that her head wasn’t entirely on point right now as she and David were searching the area around the farmhouse, looking for Gold. Neal had finally turned up too and had little to no information about where he had been, except he had been looking for his father. So the main question now was, how did Neal even know that Gold was alive when the key players in Storybrooke just found out? The answer was probably buried under the current incarnation of the curse, but there was one tangible clue to what happened. A scar burned into his hand. Emma had taken a picture of it and sent it to Belle, hoping that her friend could dig up some information to discern the mark’s meaning.

Of course that was only part of the problem with his return. Neal naturally asked about Henry. She explained that his memory loss was still intact and that for right now, it was going to remain this way until they put a stop to Zelena’s plans. She had to keep him safe from the evils of this town by any means necessary - and as soon as this was resolved, she was leaving Storybrooke for good _with_ Henry. Emma made it quite clear to stay away from him because it would confuse things further. The kid was smart enough to know that his mother was holding back. He already called her on it when she checked in with him at the inn, on the verge of demanding answers to his questions. She was able to appease him to a degree, but it wouldn’t last for long. This was a delicate time where her son was willing to trust _her,_ knowing that the real situation of why they were here in Storybrooke was being talked around him. Oh he picked up on the odd looks that his mother gave the people here, and then to him - Henry giving that dubious look at times, or pretending that he wasn’t paying attention. But he was. What made her heart ache for her son was seeing the strained look of patience wearing him down. How he was unhappy being here …

“Emma?” The sound of David’s voice brought the blonde’s full attention towards him. “You hear that?” he asked.

She narrowed her eyes, focusing on listening to the surrounding area. “I hear it too …” What she heard was mumbling, able to pick out snippets of what was being said by a very familiar accent.

 _Gold!_ she thought and immediately pointed in his direction, “This way!” And ran off without waiting for her father, not wanting to risk losing the sound of his voice.  

His voice was becoming louder and she prayed that this wasn’t some trick of Zelena’s, running right into a trap. The savior wouldn’t put it past the witch.

 _Huh?_ Moving around the thicket of bushes, Emma was surprise to see Gold wandering around with no clear indication of purpose or direction. He rambled on and on in panic, and they barely strung together coherently.

“Too many!  Too many voices!” Gold panted.

He stumbled and fell, tripping over exposed roots.  Just as quickly as he went down, the pawn shop owner was back on his feet and continuing to ramble and scramble.

“Too many voices!”

“Gold?” she tentatively called out, trying to get his attention, but not wanting to risk scaring him off as David stopped right behind her, looking baffled.

Wild brown eyes looked around the forest.  He was oblivious to the Charmings’ approach.  Mr. Gold was oblivious to all but the pain in his skull and his consciousness as he scurried.  He rushed down a natural slope and dropped out of Emma’s line of sight.

“What voices -...? Damn!” she swore, watching Gold run off but before she could chase after him, the familiar screech of the witch’s flying minion snapped her attention towards the sky.     The winged primate swooped in, it’s taloned feet snatching at Emma’s arms. But it was her father that pushed her out of harms way, throwing up his arms to shield her in protection - the leather sleeves of his jacket offering some of its own. David was lucky - the talons only cutting through the material and leaving his skin intact.

“Emma, _go!_ ” He shouted, pulling out his gun. “We can’t lose Gold! I can handle this winged creature.”

There might have been a time when she was torn in which right thing to do. In this case, help to defend her father versus going after Gold because of the ‘greater good’. These winged bastards were strong, vicious, and could lead them to the wicked witch just as well if captured. Gold was suffering from Zelena’s magic, or so she believed with his ramblings, and could provide information if she could catch him and calm him down. Two different paths leading them to the same goal. It was just all in how the savior wished to pursue it, to which her heart did the reflecting.

In Neverland, Mary Margaret immediately wanted to stay with David because the magical cure for Dreamshade forced him to be bound to the lands. Then the incident with the cave, about wanting another child - the two of them were always so involved with _finding o_ ne another, that they forget about the one they did find.

_Once a lost girl, always a lost girl._

Sadly, it was no longer a contest as she ran after Gold, not looking back as shots were fired …

* * *

Rather than return to her office or her very quiet and empty home, Regina simply drove around Storybrooke after leaving the farmhouse.  She didn’t want to see anyone right then, and especially not Robin.  Or Tinkerbell.  Much like horseback riding had been for her in her youth, Regina found the process of driving around the outskirts and through town to be a balm on her very troubled soul.

_Robin Hood was the man with the lion tattoo all those years ago?  What is he doing here?  Why?  Why now?_

Years ago, Regina knew she had run away from this supposed second chance of love because she feared what _loving_ would do to her.  It had been still too soon after Daniel’s death to contemplate true happiness.  There had also been the issue of logistics; she was married to the king at that time!  Exactly how had Tinkerbell factored _that_ into flying off with pixie dust to find a new love?  Finally, Regina had doubted the pixie dust’s accuracy. How could she really believe that this stranger with a tattoo that she was just supposed to walk up to and meet could be who she was destined for?  She had fled the tavern before they ever had a chance to make even eye contact, and now, all of these years later, there he was again.  

“Tinkerbell would call that fate,” Regina growled to herself.  “I call it obnoxious.”

She shook her head, both because she was talking to herself again, and because the situation was ludicrous.  Regina was truly wary of this chance encounter.  After all, how had Robin known Zelena lived there?  And why was it only when she’d gone to the farmhouse _alone_ did he show up?  She realized she could be being paranoid… but Regina knew better than to assume life was just going to work out in her favor.

“Besides, I already love someone else.”  The words came out of her mouth in a rush, and the mayor tightened her hands on the steering wheel after she’d uttered them.  Regina sighed heavily.  “I do.  I love someone else.   _Emma_.”

Uttering that, Regina pulled the car over to the side of the road and took a deep, shuddering breath.  Her hands were trembling, so she gripped the wheel tighter to control them.  She closed her eyes, trying to get herself back under control because this was the first time she’d admitted her feelings aloud.

It was well-known to everyone how she had been threatened by and flat-out _hated_ Emma Swan when Henry had first brought her to Storybrooke.  The woman had been a tremendous wedge between she and Henry as they both undermined what she had viewed as _her_ happy ending!  Regina’s hatred had been obvious and had extended as far as sacrificing her last bit of magic in Storybrooke to reclaim the poisoned apple, so that she could put Emma into the same sleeping curse she’d fated her mother to.

 _I used the last connection I had to Daniel for Emma_.

It was poetic… in only the way that someone from the Enchanted Forest could understand.  Regina sighed.  Her feelings had changed toward Emma in what felt like only a few short weeks ago.  When her failsafe had fallen into Greg and Tamara’s hands and she’d realized that her magic could only hold off the town’s destruction for so long, Regina had been willing to sacrifice herself.  She had insisted to Emma that she go, and just let her die as Regina and not the Evil Queen.

“And who stood by me, refusing to allow that to happen?  Emma.”

Together, they’d saved the town and Emma had saved _her_.  That had astounded her, quite frankly, given what Regina had tried to do to her!  Her feelings had only deepened as they embarked on Operation Henry together.  The week had been hell, dealing with Pan and his brats, and enduring camping with the Charming’s, but - again - it had been she and Emma making magic together.  In the process, Regina had fallen hard for her former enemy and Henry’s fellow mother.

“Em-ma…” she whispered to herself, picturing the blonde vividly in her mind’s eye.

Regina smiled ruefully to herself, then sighed.  What good was it to be defiant against the supposed power of pixie dust, when there was absolutely no indication that Emma felt anywhere remotely similar to her own feelings?  She let that thought roll around her mind, thinking of how assertive Robin had been at trying to get to know her back at the farmhouse.  Regina repressed a shudder, put the car back in gear, and resumed her contemplative driving.

* * *

Racing through the forest after Gold, Emma was starting to worry that she had lost his trail. The signs of the ground trampled over were lessening and his ramblings had died out. The savior was running on instinct now, needing to find him on the off chance David ended up killing Zelena’s minion, otherwise they would have no leads. It was very unlikely her father would have done that - killing the creature unless it was his last resort - but the gunshots had stopped, leaving Emma guessing as to the outcome of the skirmish. Vaulting over a rotting tree trunk at a full sprint, she had to put on the brakes, skidding against the ground with wobbling arms when the savior found someone in the forest - and it wasn’t David _or_ Gold.

“Neal?” The irritation in her voice could not be masked as Neal was just _standing_ there, looking at her with that apologetic, bemused, expression of his. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in the hospital resting.”

“Emma ... I know you’re looking for my father out here,” he said, motioning to the entire forest around them, hands in the pockets of his coat. “I can help, and I can’t do that in a hospital bed."

“Belle said you looked like death when you collapsed. This isn’t going to help.”

“Well it doesn’t matter what you think because I’m not leaving. And the more you argue with me, the longer it’ll take to find my father. So we either do this together right now, or I do it by myself,” he explained, not budging.

He was so infuriatingly demanding. And also right. They were wasting time.

“ _Fine_. But if you collapse again, I’m leaving you there.” They both knew it was a meaningless threat, but Neal was smart enough to let it go as they resumed the search for Gold.

As they searched, Emma explained Gold’s state of mind when she had briefly caught up with the shopkeeper, how he rambled on about the voices in head, and how they were ambushed. She kept things quiet afterwards because Emma needed to remain focused on finding traces of Gold’s whereabouts. Neal on the other hand had quite a bit on his mind and jumped on the opportunity to speak with Emma alone and far away from Hook. He may have buried the hatchet with the pirate, but this was too important to pass up. Not with what he had to say.

“You may not like hearing this Emma, but I can always tell when you’re ready to run,” he said, not missing the incredulous look the blonde was giving him. “We both knew when it was time to do it when we were together. And I got that from you when we spoke at the hospital. Especially that fire in your eyes when you talked about Henry. Him not remembering his life here.”

“Neal. Stop. We’re not doing this right now,” she warned. “So don’t go there.”

“You want to take him away from here,” he challenged, finally stopping as Emma suddenly turned and shoved him backwards.

“Are you really this selfish? Seriously, Neal. We’re out here trying to find Gold because all of Storybrooke is cursed by the wicked witch, and you feel now’s the best time to talk about what you _think_ I’m going to do?”

“So I’m right,” he deadpanned, not phased by Emma’s outburst. “Look, Emma … I’m not questioning what your plans are. I just wanted you to know that whatever you feel is best for Henry - either here in Storybrooke or back in New York - that ... I want to be a part of his life too. I _mean_ it. I’m not giving up on either of you. Not when I finally found you two again. Not when I thought I’d lost you and Henry forever.”

“Apparently the curse made your short term memories disappear because you clearly forgot something important back in Neverland.” She scowled at him, disappointment written all over her face. “That the only person that I want, that I _chose_ , was Henry. Not only has that not changed, but without his memories, it’s crucial that I protect him.”

“Emma. Come on! I’m his father too. We can surely work something out where he can know who I am in time. Not like i’m going to run up to him and force the issue.” He was exasperated, clearly unnerved that Emma thought this badly of him.

“He needs to be taken far away from _here_. Away from this … life!” She threw up her hands, her heart beating rapidly in turmoil. “I know this is his home, but we had a good life in New York. We still do. And he was happy, Neal.”

“And do you honestly think I’m going to accept that? Do you think _Regina_ will?” he barked back. “Because as civil as you two think you’ve become, don’t fool yourself into thinking that she won’t turn to her old ways to keep Henry here. And destroy you in the process. Open your eyes Emma. She’s done it once and hurt our son in the process. She almost killed him with that damn poison that was meant for you!”

What really angered her was Neal’s assumptions that she wasn’t going to talk to Regina. She would _have_ to at some point - a conversation she was dreading - but it wasn’t like she was going to up and leave town without speaking with Regina. “You know nothing about _her_ , so just don’t even go there, Neal. She never meant to kill either of us. Not that I condone what she did, but her intent wasn’t to kill us. She _loves_ Henry. But let’s not forget the fact that she sent Henry away to stop Pan’s curse to save everyone. The one person she loves the most. She -” She stopped at the sound of her phone going off. Pulling her fiery gaze away from Neal, she saw it was Belle calling.

Grateful for the interruption, she answered it, casting daggers in Neal’s direction. “I take it you found something?”

“Yes I did,” said Belle, a bit startled by the edge in Emma’s voice. “My research shows that his mark was used in a ritual to bring back the Dark One. It -”

But Emma didn’t hear the rest as she dropped her phone to the ground in surprised horror, watching Neal collapse - his body twisting violently and awkwardly. His face rippled out of focus, briefly catching glimpses of Gold’s features emerge. “Oh my god! What did you do Neal?!”

The grotesque masks of Neal and Gold warred with each other as Emma fell to her knees, clutching at him helplessly. “Neal!” she cried out, not knowing what to do - their fight forgotten as she tried to think quickly on how to help him. _Them_ \- but in her panic she let go of her phone, and Belle’s wisdom, in the process.

“Emma …” his voice sounded so distant, muddled by the magical struggle for control. “You … you gotta separate us. Use your magic … on us…” He grabbed at Emma’s jacket, desperation in his voice. “I can finally ... feel him. _Inside._ Hear his voice. We’re ...” but he cried out in pain, spasm onto his back, taking Emma with him.

 _The voices in Gold’s head. Oh my god. It was Neal the entire time!_ “I don’t know how. Or... or if I can,” she admitted weakly.

“I saw … what you can do. In Neverland.” He tugged at her, tightening his grip to try and shake sense into her, but there was no strength to be found as he was limp in her arms. “I believe in you, Emma. I know … you can do this. You gotta … I know you need my father’s help...”

She took hold of his hand and without understanding the circumstances of what separating them meant, Emma closed her eyes and focused - remembering how emotions were the root of magical intent. How frustration and impatience had started a fire because of Regina’s verbal jabs. How the two of them were able to focus on creating an eclipse because of the combined love for their son.

And now the future she needed to have with her son was hinged on getting Gold to talk ...

_For Henry. I need to do this for him._

As the foundation for her magic to manifest consciously, rather than the fear of what failure meant - killing either one, or both of them - Neal cried out, his voice being overladen with that of Gold’s anguished ones. Her presumptions on how to trigger her magic worked. White light began to engulf them and cleaved the two men in half as Emma’s magic tore them asunder.

The savior rocked forward and gasped, feeling her body drained of energy as she continued to hold onto Neal. Green eyes looked amazed and confused that she did it. She had separated Gold and Neal without killing them! Gold was dazed, laying on the ground and trying to get his bearings.

“You did it, Em.” Neal smiled weakly, looking so proud but also apologetic. “I knew you … could do it.”

Emma didn’t like this one bit. Neal should at least be sounding better and having color returning to her face, but it was getting worse. She clutched at him more fervently. “Hang on. You’ll be alright. Just the after effects of what I did.” As optimistic as she was trying to sound, the savior had a bad feeling in her gut that wasn’t the case. “Right?” she urged, hoping for a reassuring response from him.

“I’m so s-sorry … Em. But …” he licked his lips, hands shaking while he gripped Emma’s tighter, holding out the swan necklace for her to take. The very same keychain that he had stole for her - hat had endured the journey back to the Enchanted Forest because of the love he had for Emma Swan.

“No,” she sobbed, shaking her head. Regardless of how little she wanted Neal to be in her life currently, even in Henry’s, she didn’t want to lose him! This wasn’t how it was supposed to end for them. “No… you can’t _die_ on me!”

“... you wouldn’t have done it. Not … not if you knew.” His face flickered in a knowing smile. “But you need him. To stop the witch and … keep our son safe.”

“God damn it, Neal! You should’ve told me!” Again he took the decision out of her hands. Again he did what he thought was best for her. Even if she would have agreed with him in this instance, he kept the truth from her.

“I know. But I can’t stop her.” He swallowed, his breaths coming quicker and forced. “Not … much time left. Emma … you have to stop her. Then _go_. Go find your Tallahassee ... _wherever_ that is ... for you and Henry.”

Taking the necklace within her hand, her lips trembled to force the words that remained stuck in the back of her throat, but it was too late. Neal was gone, having slipped away forever in her arms ...


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma takes Henry to the park to talk about the death of his father ...

Regina had to admit that choosing to come to the park was a far better choice than sulking in her vault like she would have in the past.  She sat on a bench near where Henry and she had walked, and she reminisced on that afternoon and the strange conversation with her son who didn’t even know her.

Of course, thinking too long about Henry led Regina back to thinking about Emma.  She was curious - and also dreading knowing anything more - about her life with this Walsh.  What had he been like?  What had been appealing about him to Emma?  If not for Hook’s interference, what might have happened between them?

Regina sighed.   _None of this matters.  Quit thinking about it.  Focus on this damned wicked witch and how to defeat her.  Forget love. Forget pixie dust.  Stop the witch._

Frowning at the ducks and the swans who moved across the pond blissfully unaware of Storybrooke’s latest threat, her brown-eyed gaze shifted as she saw a different Swan arrive in her yellow Bug ...

* * *

 

Emma put the Bug in park, hands remaining still as she replayed what happened just an hour ago - Neal dying in her arms and giving his blessing to do whatever was necessary to have a happy life together with their son.

 _I didn’t trust his motives and all along he really wanted what was best for me. And now he’s dead._ She was still emotionally torn over his decisions that impacted her life, but there was no denying that Neal died a hero so that Storybrooke could have a chance against Zelena.

Emma had left Gold with him, knowing that father needed time alone with the son that he had crossed realms for. Storybrooke existed solely on the fact that Gold wanted to be reunited with Baelfire. He orchestrated everything - pulling strings to create pivotal catastrophes so that Regina Mills would cast the curse and bring them to this land. Before she left, Gold had also informed the savior that Zelena was afraid of her power and wanted Emma out of the way. The savior’s powers were the key to stopping her.

_So no pressure. Again. Least I know why Zelena wanted to keep tabs on us in New York._

“Mom?” Henry looked upon her with concern because Emma was never _this_ quiet.

“Sorry, kid. Just ... “ she shook her head and gave him a forced smile. “Lot on my mind.”

He looked dubious at her because, as of late, that confession didn’t mean Henry was about to get any answers as to why Emma was under a lot of pressure and stress lately. Jobs were jobs for his mother, but this one was close to her, and he wanted to know why.

“Come on.” She took the keys out of the ignition and unlocked the car. “Let’s go for a walk and I’ll explain.”

Immediately, her son’s mood shift from cautious optimism to relief, Henry smiled genuinely at her for the first time since coming to Storybrooke.

Across the small pond, and apparently unnoticed thus far, Regina watched Emma and Henry leave the dented and mildly battered yellow car and walk to a park bench.  Ignorant to what had happened in the forest, of course, she could only wonder at the heavy tread to Emma’s steps, and the look of hope on Henry’s face.

 _What has happened?_ Regina wondered.

After all, why else would Emma drive over here to talk with her - _their_ \- son?  What needed to be set in seclusion rather than at the bed and breakfast, diner, or Mary Margaret’s apartment?  She debated whether to stay put, retreat and go home, or approach them.  Regina decided to give them a moment, and then slowly rose and circled the pond, headed in their direction.

“This is where you and Re-...Mayor Mills hung out right?” she began, keeping things light between them

_This is such a pain in the ass - being all formal about Regina. I haven’t called her Mayor Mills this much since I first came to town. And not in such nice context either._

She wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him closer, wanting a tangible _good_ presence to give her the strength she needed. Henry was her reason to fight for what was right. Neal was her reason to fight for vengeance.

 _Zelena’s going pay for what she’s done,_ she thought darkly.

“You got that look about you.” Henry smirked knowingly, not answering the question his mother already knew the answer to about the mayor. “The one where you’re about to bring in the guy you’ve been looking for.”

She chuckled. “Not quite, kid. But definitely in the ballpark as to what’s been going on.”

“Does that mean we’re finally going to talk? A _real_ talk?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yep.” Nodding, she pointed to an unoccupied bench. “Have a seat, because there’s lots to talk about.”

Regina hesitated, more than halfway around the pond.  In trying to be “good,” she felt it prudent to assess the situation.  Was she going over there because of Henry?  Because of Emma?  For her own reasons, related to everything that had been on her mind since interacting with Robin?  Deciding that it was out of genuine care for Emma and their son, she continued to pick her way around the park.

They both took a seat on the bench, Henry regarding his mom with care despite being so eager to finally learn what was really going on in town. Ever since he felt things were off and watched his mother’s stress levels rise, he wanted to help. It was always just the two of them, together - doing what was necessary to make sure they were happy. He watched as Emma tried to relax, stretching out her legs as her eyes trailed the ducks and swans padding through the pond.

“I’m sorry for not being honest with you when we came here. I know you. Soon as we arrived you were scratching your head, wondering how on _earth_ did my mom find her way here? Why was she back? Who was she looking for? _And_ most importantly, why did it have to be a secret since I’ve never shut you out before?” Her lips turned upwards, glancing at Henry out of the corner of her eye. “About right?”

He chuckled and looked down at his hands. “Yes. It was hard being patient with you, Mom. But, I kept believing it was for a good reason. You never do anything without one.”

Regina could see the look of intense concentration on both their faces.  She knew both well.  She was still too far away to hear what they were talking about, but she could see it was serious.  Whether insecurity driving her or respecting their need for privacy, Regina stayed where she was amidst the pine trees and waited.

“I appreciate your patience and how I didn’t lose your respect, kiddo.” Her lips strained together, still focusing on the blissful ignorance of life swimming around in the pond. “The guy I was tracking down for the Mayor is a piece of work, Henry. A _real_ bad person.”

He looked up, knowing how serious Emma was because of not only the use of his name, but the tone in which it was spoken.

“I’ve already failed too. Not being able to get to them first before permanent damage was done.” She took a hard breath through her nose, eyes blinking back the tears of rage threatening to appear.

“I didn’t lie to you, Henry. This place was home for a short time. It was  ... “ She closed her eyes before finally turning her head towards her son.  “... it was your father's home too.”

Henry shifted to face his mother on the bench, surprise aching into his features. Scooting closer, he looked hopeful as he grabbed her arm. “My father’s here?”

“He was, Henry…” she said, trailing off. “... I … I’m so sorry. I wasn’t able to protect him. I failed him and _you_ in the process.”

Regina could see the pain on Emma’s face and, while she wasn’t sure if her friendship would be welcome - since she didn’t know what was happening - she decided she _had_ to act.  She couldn’t just stand there, obscured by the trees, and _watch_.  The mayor stepped out, hands in her coat pockets, moving steadily toward them now.

“Miss Swan?  Henry?  I’m sorry to intrude,” she said politely.  “I was sitting across the pond and noticed you’d come here too.  Is… everything alright?”

Emma freaked, but did it all internally. She was smooth enough to not allow any visible indication cross her features besides the acute narrowing gaze that turned towards the mayor. She had been hoping for a private moment with her son to discuss the death of his father, and Regina Mills just _shows_ up?

_Honestly? It could be worse. It could’ve been my parents staring awkwardly at us. If karma wanted to abuse me, it could’ve been Hook._

The tension rolling off of Emma was palpable, trying to reign in her grief and disappointment that she had just admitted to Henry. He was her son and feeling vulnerable in front of him was one thing, but Regina? The savior didn’t even know how to fully classify her once rival. Allies? Civil allies? Civil allies with a barest touch of friendship thrown in because of what happened with the trigger, and then Regina giving them a happy ending considering the circumstances?

“Mom was telling me what she was doing for you,” Henry said, bless him, stepping in to start the conversation. He didn’t try to say anything else because this was personal to Emma. Not knowing his father had distanced Henry from immediate grief. Feeling the pained loss of never getting to meet or know him had long since reconciled, just this opportunity that had surfaced had dredged up those feelings within Henry to a lesser degree.

“Yeah,” she agreed softly, looking everywhere but near Regina. “The person I’m tracking for you?”

How else was she to say it? Emma was never one to mince words, but she couldn’t go on about some woman named Zelena running around town. A name meant more information and Henry would run with that little tidbit, asking a ton more questions.  Regina just nodded, hands curling into fists in her pockets.  Without spelling her out by name, she knew Emma referred to Zelena.

“They murdered his father.”  Her face twisted in a brief display of anguish before passing. “I was just about to promise Henry that I’d find the one responsible and make them pay.”

 _Neal.  Oh, no,_ Regina thought.

No one had seen him.  No one had known where he was… if he’d come back with the curse, or if he’d been turned into one of Zelena’s flying monkeys.  Regina swallowed hard, gaze flickering from Henry to Emma and back, looking aggrieved.

“I am sorry to hear this, Miss Swan... Henry.  I know that--”  She caught herself then before saying anything that would confuse him.  “--that this has to be hard to hear.”

 _What happened?!_ she wanted to demand.  

“Is there anything I can do?”

Henry shook his head no but did look upon the mayor with kindness. “No. But thank you for offering, Mayor Mills.”

“Well there is one thing,” Emma murmured quietly. “Funeral arrangements? I could use help with that.” There was a lot that Storybrooke had to offer during its cursed stasis, but a mortician wasn’t on the need list. Not when everyone was stuck in a ageless loop.

Regina frowned, then looked sympathetic as she considered the situation.  Then, she nodded decisively.  “I’ll take care of everything.  If that is permissible?”

“Wow, Mayor Mills. That’s really nice of you,” was Henry’s immediate response, hoping that this would take some of the pressure off of his mother.

“Yeah.” Emma agreed quietly, some of the anger she was harboring tempered by the thoughtful gesture. “Thanks, Regina.” She had let the formalities slip, but it could easily be attributed from the toll of the entire day.

“Did you happen to know my father?” he asked somewhat hesitantly to the mayor. “Mom said he lived here for a short time too.”

Regina gave a gentle nod, deciding to tell the truth from a certain point of view.  She couldn’t lie to Henry.  “It’s a small town, as you’ve noticed.  Yes.  Our paths did cross a time or two.”

“He died a hero, Henry,” she sighed, getting up. “All you really need to know right now, but … I get it if you want to talk to the mayor more about him.”

Henry watched his mother walk off towards the pond, some of the ducks quickly waddling away and quacking at her aggressively for making them move. He wished he could do more to comfort her, but his mother just walled up her emotions. It hadn’t happened too often in the past but when she did, Emma was just _there_. She just went through the motions and put on a good front, but Henry knew better.

“How long did they live here?” he asked, tearing his gaze away from Emma tossing stones into the pond towards Regina. “My parents.”

 _Now, this gets complicated… or, maybe not!_ Regina thought.   _Keep it simple because he’s smarter than you!_

“For only a couple years, Henry.  When you were very little still.  It’s why you don’t remember… having lived here,” she explained.

He thought on that, wondering what the real wedge was back then that Emma up and left Storybrooke and his father. “But she wasn’t happy being here,” he said, but then added, “Because I can tell she’s not happy being back. I … guess it had to do with my father.”

Regina closed her eyes against the pain of knowing that - from Henry’s point of view - Emma was unhappy at being back in Storybrooke.  She reopened them quickly enough, hiding what she was feeling expertly.

“It was a difficult situation.  I hope we have the matter resolved soon, so that you and your mother are free to live your lives...”

 _That’s not a lie, at least.  If we defeat Zelena, Henry,_ she thought, _then you’ll finally remember the town.  And me._

Regina sighed and rested a hand briefly on her son’s shoulder.  “Let your mother know I’ll contact her about the arrangements.  I am truly sorry for your loss, Henry.”

“I will,” he put on tempered smile, wondering how he could help his mom move past this and open up about what had happened in this small town. “Thank you again. For talking to me about my dad. And for helping mom too.”

He sighed, watching his mother slowly turn around and looking no less haunted.

“As much as she acts like she won’t need it, she does need it. Help. Don’t give up on her,” he said so candidly, believing that there was a lot more to the relationship between Emma and Mayor Mills than what had been said around him.

Regina swallowed hard as she stared at her now-teenaged son.  It was as if he was reading her mind and her feelings.  That was unnerving and heart-warming, given the fear she felt given the circumstances.  

“Yes.  I know, Henry,” Regina replied quietly, watching Emma at the pond’s edge.  She wanted to go to her, but she didn’t dare.  She cleared her throat and stepped away from Henry.  “I’ll be in touch.”

What Henry didn’t see as Emma turned around was her pocketing her phone, just finishing a conversation with David. What had been perceived as bad luck in Regina arriving had been reevaluated by the savior into something more positive. The Mayor helping with all of the funeral arrangements was more than she could have asked for. She was looking for guidance, and Regina went beyond that, believing the brunette’s motivations were to honor Neal because he was Henry’s father. If she only knew that were just half of Regina’s motivations for being so kind.

 _Why we have to talk. Neal was right despite being a prick about it. I can’t hide wanting to leave without letting Regina know._ It was why she called David to pick up Henry so they could have this time alone.

 _And I’d rather Henry be far away from here when Regina starts throwing fireballs at me. Least the pond’s close by. I can jump in that when shit hits the fan,_ she thought with bemusement, walking back up to the two of them. “I was just on the phone with David. Sheriff’s going to stop by to pick you up, kiddo.”

Henry couldn’t hide his confusion and was taken aback. “Why? This isn’t a good time to send me away. You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Don’t worry. Mayor Mills is going to stick around. We need to talk strategy on finding your father’s murderer. I’ll be by later.” She squeezed his arm, giving him a thankful smile. “I appreciate you looking out for me, but I’ll be fine.”

Behind Henry where he didn’t see her reaction, she lifted both eyebrows at Emma as if to say, _Oh, I am sticking around now, am I?_  They had been working well together so Regina was heartened that Emma wanted to interact further.  But unless there’d been a break in the case since Neal’s death, Regina didn’t know what they had to talk about.

“I’ll see her back home safely, Henry,” she said.   _Home?_   “To the apartment.  Or the bed and breakfast.”

The savior chuckled, finding the wordsmith fumbling over the right thing to say. “To the bed and breakfast. David’s going to drop you off there, and I promise you that we’ll chat more on what the plan is. Alright?”

He nodded, knowing the truth of his mother’s words and hugged her tightly. “Alright.”

Closing her eyes, Emma returned the embrace with a sigh, dreading what was to happen next.

Regina waited with a pinched expression as, of course, Henry hugged Emma but not her.  She knew - intellectually - that he had no reason to hug her.  Just the same, it hurt.

David arrived quickly enough in one of the Storybrooke squad cars.  She made a mental note to deal with the issue of reinstating Emma as sheriff just as soon as Henry had his memories back.  To try and make that happen now would be too jarring to her son; he wouldn’t understand how or why Emma was the rightful law enforcement in town.

He approached the group, cautiously looking over at Emma and Henry. “Lucky I was close by,” he said somberly, wanting to hug his daughter so badly to comfort her. He gave his grandson a sorrowful expression. “I’m sorry for what happened to your father. Your mother told me over the phone what happened.”

Henry nodded, “Thank you.”

“Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it.” Emma kissed into her son’s hair and gave him a calm smile, nodding to go with the Sheriff. “Soon as the Mayor and I compare notes, we’ll be back to chat.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me in on this right now?” David was concerned for the safety of his family after all.

Regina stuffed her hands back into her pocket, barely resisting the tremendous urge she had to scowl at Charming.

“Keeping Henry safe right now is doing a lot,” Emma said, pleading with her eyes so David could get the hint. “Seriously.”

David seemed to catch on after a very serious nod, which did leave Regina rolling her eyes.  Subtlety did not seem to come in Charming or Snow’s repertoires, no matter what. Watching the two of them finally go, Emma really could feel her gut churning with intensity, nerves starting to get the better of her.

Regina sat down on the bench, giving Emma ample space to join her.  She lofted a brunette eyebrow at her, letting silence stretch between them rather than immediately pepper her with questions.The open invitation wasn’t ignored - it just took the savior a few moments to mentally prepare herself for the verbal sparring that was to unfold after she ended up coming clean with Regina. Just this time, the brunette’s anger wouldn’t be entirely unfounded.

Emma took a deep breath and finally sat down on the bench with the mayor. “Look … we do need to talk about Zelena, but that’s not what this is about,” she explained, looking distraught, trying to find the right way to initially discuss New York without Regina jumping on the defensive and unwilling to hear her reasons.

The mayor’s heart leapt into her throat, but then she swallowed because she knew that what she was thinking was utterly ridiculous.  Regina cleared her mind of that hope and narrowed her eyes at Emma.  “What _is_ this about then?”

She couldn’t look Regina in the eye at all - not until she set some ground work here. “What you did for me and Henry … I could never thank you enough. I mean, it probably sounds crazy in your head that anyone would _want_ to thank you. But I do. Thank _you,_ Regina _._ Seriously. Despite being all doom and gloom with you about coming back here, I forgot what you sacrificed was far more important to acknowledge than me having a pity party in the squad car.”

Regina inclined her head, reliving the moment she knew the yellow Bug crossed the town line.  Her focus had been on the scroll and the curse that was supposed to send them back to the Enchanted Forest.  Sacrificing those she loved the most, the terms of the curse, was heart-breaking.  

“It was my pleasure to know you both would be happy and successful together,” Regina said quietly.

“It was the only time someone had to give me up that I didn’t feel … _unwanted_ ,” she admitted just as quietly.

Her parents were a source of conflict when saying goodbye - knowing that they had already given her up in favor of a new chance to raise a child. They wanted to give Emma her best chance, again. And Henry’s too. It was difficult to reconcile the hurt she felt towards them since Neverland, not having a chance to come to terms with what she was feeling and explain that to her parents. Then there was Neal and Hook - still quietly posturing over her - but Neal was more devastated in losing his son once again after just rescuing him. Emma could sympathize with that, but her heart went out to the mayor - the one who had given them good memories and a chance at a happy ending. She had to give up Henry because he was the sole person in this world that the former evil queen loved the most - the only bright part of her existence that had given her meaning since coming to this world. Emma, on the other hand, was just the savior. Automatically able to escape the curse because Gold had written her into the magic years prior, and she could protect their son that had to be left behind. Still, Emma wasn’t entirely sure it was just Henry that Regina was saddened to see go. It was probably a delusional thought, one brought on by the emotional storm of grief that occurred that day at the town line, but the savior could’ve sworn that something more tangible passed between them - and not just reluctant respect either.

“Well, of course.  Everyone in town loves you, Emma,” she said diplomatically.  “It’s only natural that you had that few moments to feel loved.  And then, be reset into a reality where you had Henry’s love all to yourself.”

Emma snorted, “Seriously doubt Leroy loves me. Not with arresting him all the time. Curse or no curse.” She chuckled, but her tone grew serious again. “You’re missing the point Regina.”

 _Is this the moment?  Do I dare to tell her how I feel?  Why I wanted to guarantee them both a good life together?_ Regina asked herself.  That seemed to be the only “point” she could come to, given what Emma had just said.   _But no - it can’t be that.  Can it?  Emma Swan could not possibly feel that way for me, not after all I’ve done…_

“And which point is that?” she asked, eyebrows aloft again.

Taking a deep breath, Emma steeled herself and finally found the strength to look into Regina’s expectant face. “Regina, I …” but she faltered there, vulnerability plain across her face as Emma struggled on how to broach the subject of New York.

She turned toward her, the hope she dared to feel clear in her brown eyes.  “Emma…?”

“Oh, isn’t this just such an adorable moment!  Regina, I don’t think the body is even cold yet, and here you are!” Zelena sing-songed as she sashayed out of the wooded area adjacent to the park.  “My, _my_.”

Regina went pale with anger as she stood and faced the tall, snarky red-head.  “You have no idea what you’re even talking about, Greenie.  Why don’t you funnel your way back to Oz?”

Emma moved to her feet and immediately trained her gun on the witch, keeping her confusion towards Zelena’s remarks at bay for now. “You’re going to pay for what happened to Neal and what you did to this town, Monkey Witch.” She kept the tidbit that Gold told her about Zelena’s fears towards the savior to herself. Information like that was a powerful weapon that they could use against the wicked witch.

Zelena only laughed, clearly unimpressed with Regina’s quick retort and ignoring Emma’s.  “Oh, the sibling rivalry we missed out on, sis!  Truly.  Can you imagine going at it like this over the years?”

The brunette’s scowl only darkened.  “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Cora really never told you?” Zelena asked in a mocking tone.

Regina flinched at the mention of Cora.  While a year had technically passed, it didn’t feel that way to her.  To the former evil queen, her mother had only died weeks ago.  “My mother never told me what?!”

“That we’re sisters, of course!  But, how silly of me.  We’ve already _had_ this conversation.  You just don’t remember,” she taunted.

Green eyes widened in surprise as Emma looked back and forth at the bantering … _sisters?_

Regina’s eyes widened at that and she shot a look to Emma.  “During the lost year?”

“Of course!  In the Enchanted Forest, sis.”  Zelena’s clear eyes narrowed at Regina, ignoring Emma and her gun completely.  

“So you antagonized both me _and_ Regina this past year? _Why?_ What the hell do you want, lady?” the blonde demanded.

“What everyone who comes to Storybrooke wants, of course,” she chuckled dismissively.  Zelena’s expression darkened dangerously.  “My damned _happy ending_.  And I _will_ have it.  But, for now, know that this is personal, _sis._ Mother may not have chosen me for her great schemes, but I _will_ have the fruits of her efforts in the end.”

Regina looked incredulous.  If any of this was true, Zelena had to know what her past had been like.  What was she thinking?

“This is nonsense.  We are _not_ sisters.”

“Oh, but we are.  Why don’t you dig into the past a little, sis, rather than denounce me out of hand?” she smirked.

Zelena waggled her fingers in a mocking farewell, then poofed into a cloud of green smoke.

“NO!” Emma cried out in frustration, watching as their adversary disappeared, leaving them with more questions than ever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina heads to her vault to find any proof to Zelena's claim. Emma tags along uninivited ... at least at first.

Regina had stormed back to the Benz to drive to her vault immediately after Zelena vanished.  Her claim was _absurd!_ It had to be a lie!  So focused was the former evil queen on this latest twist that she didn’t notice Emma Swan’s presence as the woman had hurried behind her on the march back to the car.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped as she climbed in behind the steering wheel and finally noticed Emma inviting herself into the passenger seat.

“Coming along in case it wasn’t obvious,” she explained, clicking the seat belt into place. “I wanted your help in finding Zelena. Least I can do is help you figure out if there’s any proof to her claim.”

 _Which is something that she, at least, believes. Zelena wasn’t lying when she said her and Regina were sisters._ Emma’s superpower hadn’t been on point since learning the true identity of Walsh and decided to keep her gut feeling to herself. If she couldn’t have figured out she was being lied to by her boyfriend of eight months, maybe she was also wrong about her initial thoughts towards Zelena’s claim.

Regina rolled her eyes, any prior thoughts about how well they worked together having evaporated temporarily.  She was hurt and angered by what Zelena claimed - never mind what she had inferred! - and wasn’t in the mood for a partnership.  Or back-up.  

“Not necessary.  I know how to search my own vault, thank you,” she said icily.

“I know you do, Regina. Not saying you can’t,” she said, unfazed by the brunette’s unfriendly tone. “But I want to help. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Emma insisted, wanting the mayor to understand that she wasn’t here because she felt Regina was incompetent; it was because she _wanted_ to be here. Regina was going out of her way to help her with Neal, and perhaps part of her motivation could be attributed to guilt for wanting to leave Storybrooke, but the main reason she was helping her was it felt right being here with Regina. The mayor hid her feelings really well, but the brief flash of anger that Emma saw in Regina’s eyes? There was no way she was leaving. Not unless she was poofed away.

“Fine.  But stay out of my way, _and don’t touch anything_ ,” she warned.

The blonde held her hands up in mock surrender. “Promise!” Emma said quickly before Regina could change her mind. “Fingers will behave.”

Regina _knew_ she was being unfairly rude toward Emma, but she was having a hard time reigning in her emotions.  She drove in swift silence to the cemetery, parking as close to the vault as possible.  Regina scowled at the family crest over the door, then led Emma inside and immediately the steps to the lower level.  She went straight for her mother’s possessions that she had moved down here after Mary Margaret had caused her death.  She hadn’t touched them since; when had there ever been time?!  Now, the mayor worked like a woman possessed as she rifled through her wardrobe and the other associated chests.  Emma’s presence was almost forgotten while she searched.

Sadly there wasn’t much helping Emma could do because the savior made a promise to not touch anything. Her face was scrunched up towards the side, watching between Regina tear through furniture and storage chests. As she glanced around in a futile attempt to help, she realized the only way she could actually provide assistance was touching stuff or suddenly obtaining Superman’s x-ray vision - a thought that made Emma chuckle because her mind immediately went down a not so pure path. Knowing her luck, she’d accidentally see the mayor naked, horrifying the brunette and Emma would end up being poofed off a cliff. Those trains of thought did force her to pause, blushing, because why would her mind even play with such a notion?

She sucked in her bottom lip, ensuring no laughter escaped and into the ears of the mayor. It was hard hiding her face to contain her conflicting feelings of embarrassment and humor. Regina was so fixated on her task that Emma doubted the woman would notice anyway. She might as well be considered non-existent! _But I bet if I touch that cool looking black cube thingy, I’d get an immediate lecture._

Emma wanted to be a good presence for the mayor, but since she was shut out of helping in any form, she was getting bored and curious - a bad combination. It made her mind wander back to the conversation with Zelena - specifically the part where the witch had announced herself. It had bothered her then as it did now - Zelena insinuation and Regina’s hastened denial.

“Can I ask you something?” she said, finally breaking the deafening silence between them after getting herself under control. “And no - it’s not if I can touch something.”

Regina paused and looked over her shoulder at Emma, eyes narrowed.  “What?”

“Back with Zelena, when she first arrived?” she started out, turning around to look directly at Regina with clear confusion on her face. “What was she talking about? You know, referencing Neal like that.” Zelena’s observation bothered Emma, and she was going to use this moment to ask Regina directly, while it was fresh in their minds and alone.

Regina Mills was a woman of quick, sassy wit.  But as Emma now called her out on the inference that Zelena had made about her feelings, she found herself speechless.  Her brow furrowed in thought, knowing that Emma’s self-proclaimed super power had been able to read her accurately in the past.  That was especially annoying right now!  Regina shook her head.

“Not right now, Miss Swan,” she said after a long pause.  

“When will we get a better chance to talk? I’m not seeing it happening anytime soon,” she argued, catching on that Regina didn’t want to talk, which meant that they really needed to talk. “You can look and talk at the same time, or did Madam Mayor forget how to multitask?”

Regina scowled at her for that cheap shot.  “It would be inappropriate to speak of it now.  Even if you and Neal had not been together for years, _you_ are in mourning on his passing.”

And with that, she went back to searching the bureau, quickly going through her mother’s papers and lesser spellbooks for a clue.  She had to find some evidence, one way or the other, regarding Zelena.  She had to _know_.

“Why do I even bother?” she said to herself, grimacing, but even with the sounds of books being overturned and papers shuffling about, the vault easily echoed her words within the chamber. Emma knew better than to presume Regina would actually talk. Of course the mayor would find some excuse to dismiss her because why was it inappropriate to talk about it because Neal had just died? It made little sense to the savior.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Regina retorted without turning around.  “I’m _trying_ to be _good_ , Miss Swan.  And to discuss what Zelena was inferring… that would be selfish and inappropriate of me.”

She opened her mouth for a counter argument, but Emma’s jaw just hung there. Regina was telling the truth but it continued to make little sense for the savior. Shutting her mouth, she tried to work through what it could possibly be, but sometimes even Emma couldn’t always see what was right before her. Oblivious that the mayor’s feelings ran so deep, she decided to just be honest with the brunette now because, as she said, when was there a better time for them to talk?

“Regina? I know my timing is bad, but ...” she said with uncertainty, letting her words hang in the air. The savior then set her jaw and took a step closer to the focused woman, still tearing through Cora’s belongings without hesitation. “I really doubt what you have to say is that selfish since it’s me who’s really the selfish one here.”

Frowning, Regina stopped and turned toward Emma.  “What are you talking about?”

“It’s about me and Henry,” she confessed and took another deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. “I know it’s important for you to find out if Zelena’s telling the truth, but it’s … terrible of _me_ to stand here and not be honest with you. You don’t deserve that. Especially not now and I’ll just …”

She halted herself there because Emma felt herself entering into a ramble, knowing it would only irritate Regina, causing the mayor to snap at her and get to the point.

“Look, it’s that I want to keep Henry safe. Just as much as you do,” she started, knowing that the two of them always had common ground with their son. “Storybrooke isn’t though. _Safe_. It hasn’t been since the curse was broken. He’s been hunted down, kidnapped, almost killed, body snatched …” she said, gesturing to the open air. “ … I don’t want to wait and find out what else happens to him here. When this is all over…” green eyes softened, pleading with Regina to understand “... I want to take him away from Storybrooke. For good.”

Regina looked at Emma as if the blonde had started speaking a foreign language.  Or even Elvish.  Either option would be ridiculous out of Emma’s mouth, frankly!  She forced herself to swallow and to take a breath.

 _Emma wants to take Henry and_ leave _Storybrooke?!_

“Oh, because New York City was _so_ much safer,” she snapped, the gloves coming off.  “Flying monkey men and all that.   _Please_.  And, I may be sheltered in this town, but I do believe that the per capita crime rate in New York is still higher than here in Storybrooke.  So, if you want to talk his safety… yes, let’s.  Or is there some other reason you are so eager to flee your family and everyone else who cares about you?  Will Hook be accompanying you, perhaps?”

Eyes immediately became hardened, narrowing viciously at the woman across from her. “They are _not_ my family. Henry is,” she snapped back, not touching the snide Hook remark because that point was as inconsequential as the pirate was to her personally. “I want _nothing_ to do with them. Not that you’d give two shits about it, Regina.”

Regina sneered at her degenerating so quickly to profanity.  She wondered, with disdain, what sort of language habits Henry had picked up in this last year?  Of course, if Emma had her way, once the matter with Zelena was handled, Henry would be out of _her_ life, so what did that matter?

“You don’t know what - or who - I care about.  So don’t presume, Miss Swan.  That is tactless and rude.”

“So are _your_ presumptions about Hook. But I guess it doesn’t matter since I tactlessly and rudely tried to tell you what I was thinking of doing. Oh wait? No I didn’t! I tried to actually talk to you instead of hiding it from you. But no ... let’s talk about how much I don’t give a shit about Hook or my parents, or how they don’t even know that I’ve been thinking about this. That’s obviously far more important.”  Emma shook her head incredulously. “I wanted to wait, you know. To tell you. But after Neal…” Her voice lost some of her edge then, but her eyes told Regina she was still ready for a fight. “Look ... I know it was wrong to wait. Why I’m telling you now. So it’s really up to you on how this goes down, Madam Mayor. We either go ten rounds bitching at each other or we actually talk about this.”

Regina didn’t stop frowning, though her expression took on a more pensive cast.  She narrowed her eyes at Emma mistrustfully, gathering her thoughts.  It was obvious that Regina felt threatened and that emotion spilled into her body language in addition to her tone of voice.

“If you are saying this is a conversation and not a declaration, then I am willing to… converse.  To hear you out.  My initial reaction was that you were declaring to me that you’re leaving with _my son_ and I had no say in the matter,” Regina said tersely.

 _But what say do I have when they can easily leave Storybrooke and it’s questionable whether or not I can?_  She folded her arms across her chest.   _At least I know, now, that I can dash any foolish hopes I had harbored for anything deeper with Em… with Miss Swan._

“Seriously?” she sighed and sat down upon one of the chests, cradling her head between her hands. “We’re back to _my son_ now?”

Regina rolled her eyes.  “Where is there an ‘our’ anything when you intend on leaving me, Miss Swan?  It comes back to just how we started.”

Emma blinked and looked up with strike confusion instead of the normal irritation of hearing ‘Miss Swan’. “Leaving you?”  She didn’t hear ‘leaving me with Henry’. Their son totally got dropped out of the conversation and Emma almost missed it.

 _Dammit._ Regina frowned again, looking away as she tried to figure out how to salvage that colossal slip of the tongue.

“Yes, you and Henry would be leaving me.  Again.  Only this time, you’re choosing to.”

Emma felt the truth of those words but it didn’t answer her question. Thus, she clarified where her confusion lay. “You didn’t say me and Henry. You said _me_.” If Regina had said that to begin with, there wouldn’t be any confused looks or needling the mayor to explain. And for some damn reason, it felt important to find out what this was all about. The two of them were more hot and cold lately since Emma returned to Storybrooke and she was determined to find out why right now.

 _This is so wrong,_ she thought.   _We shouldn’t be talking about this now._

“Fine!  Yes!  I don’t want Henry to go, but I don’t want _you_ to leave Storybrooke either, _Emma_ ,” Regina spat.  But then, the venom in her words and the ferocity of her tone diminished significantly.  “You… You’re… It’s _not_ appropriate to talk about this!  And besides, it doesn’t _matter_ what I feel.  History’s proven that again and again.”

Eyes as wide as saucers, Emma was thinking that it was perhaps better to be referred to as Miss Swan since she was pretty certain that Regina’s words would have killed her with the force of their intent that rolled off of each syllable. She was starting to rethink her ‘force Regina to talk’ plan when the mayor’s tone became more vulnerable and desperate.

“Would you _please_ explain to me how why it’s inappropriate talking about whatever it is we’re talking about?” she said with exhaustion. “And how can it be any worse timing than me bringing up New York down here while searching through your mother’s stuff? Or …just _you_ looking through it really. I want to help, but _you_ won’t let me!”

Backing Regina Mills into a corner, in any land, was never smart.  She would usually resort to magic or an equally vicious tongue lashing.  This time, however, Regina only stared in disbelief at Emma.   _She really has no idea.  How do I best handle this?_   _Will_ telling _her how I feel make any difference at all?  Or will I simply end up looking foolish?_

“Emma, it is entirely inappropriate to speak of one’s feelings for another person when said person _just_ witnessed the death of her son’s father,” Regina finally said with a resigned sigh.  “Fairy dust and that idiot, Tinkerbell, tried telling me what my destiny was and I defied that.  Now, I find someone I _do_ have feelings for, and you’re ready to leave town!  And… damn.  Now, you know.  So.  Feel free to rush out of here.  Or… whatever.”

Soul laid bare as best as she could articulate it while still trying to keep her guard up, Regina looked back at Cora’s papers that were spread out in front of her, noticing one with a different penmanship than the others.  She plucked it out of the mess but did not immediately read it.

If Emma Swan wasn’t already sitting, she was certain her legs would have given out on her and fallen to the floor, looking like an even bigger fool in front of Regina Mills. Not only was she oblivious to what the mayor was getting at the entire time, the savior said she was going to take Henry away from Storybrooke. She was surprised that she was even allowed to be in the same room as her, not being kicked out even with the other woman’s feelings towards her.

 _She has feelings for me? And … damn it, Swan! How the hell did I miss all the signs all day today?!_ Emma thought, her heart racing so hard that she could feel the throb of its beat resounding in her head. There was always the notion that there was something more between her and Regina - the way they parted before escaping from Storybrooke had touched the savior deeply, hoping that it wasn’t the immediate severity of the situation that had brought them to tears but mutual respect and friendship. Never would she have guessed that it was because Regina had any romantic feelings about her.

_I was … right. I wanted to believe she was upset in seeing me go, but it was more than that. A lot more than that._

Her mind was racing with questions, wanting to work through the why, the how, and the when, but she was also looking inward to become cognizant of her own feelings regarding this revelation. She took the last year out of the equation, keeping it to the same time frame that Regina held as the mayor resumed looking through some paperwork.

 _Only Regina could pull off being business as usual after something like this,_ Emma mused, scrutinizing the mayor as she remained speechless. _Come on, Swan. You got to say something._

But speaking to just break the silence without any meaning behind it was foolish. Regina didn’t need some half-assed remarks about her feelings. She needed something of substance. Something meaningful that acknowledged Regina _and_ her feelings. But what could have happened in the last few weeks, or even months, to have shifted their volatile relationship into something that Regina felt could be more?

“The trigger,” she said suddenly, the epiphany coming to her as clear as the memory of what happened then. It aligned everything into place, immediately answering all of the questions that had barraged the savior - and it more than made up for being a blind idiot today! Or at least, in Emma’s mind it did. “It was the trigger.” She said with more conviction. “I wouldn’t let you die…”

"Yes," she admitted uncomfortably. "Of course, I was attracted to you before that, but... yes. Everything changed when you insisted on standing by me."

And with that said, Regina felt anxious because she had admitted her feelings and there was no immediate confirmation from Emma that she felt the same way. _Of course not. Why would she?  How could she?_ She looked down at the letter, then, and realized she recognized it. It was the letter Rumplestiltskin had sent to her mother. Regina has read it many times, feeling heartened by Rumple's faith in her.

_Which means that - if she is my sister - the letter is about Zelena. Not me._

Emma had noticed Regina’s attention was focused on a bit of old parchment in her hand, but she was still reeling over what had been said to express any interest in what the mayor found.

 _She was attracted to me before the trigger too? How was I dumb enough not to see it??_ She rolled her eyes, explaining it off by two methods. One - she missed seeing Walsh’s true motivations. For being able to find people so easily and manipulate _them_ into believing she was someone she wasn’t, Emma was duped. Two - Regina was so easy at bottling up her emotions that there would be no indication of how she truly felt unless she willingly gave it up or was backed into a corner. Which is exactly what Emma had done. She forced Regina to confess her feelings when she wasn’t ready, and now the savior could see the vulnerability beginning to deteriorate - the walls building back up slowly.

_I wish she would’ve told me. But get off it, Emma. Why would Regina tell you anything with how badly she’s been burned in the past? She barely trusts anyone. And when the hell did you have time to notice with all the shit that’s been thrown at us since Cora’s death?_

She sighed, working through her own emotions regarding the most difficult woman she ever had the pleasure to come across. That made her smile wistfully, never thinking she’d find Regina’s company pleasant after the first time they met, let alone the private war the two of them had during the first year she was here. But after understanding just how much she loved Henry - a fact that she knew was true since the day she met Regina - and with a glimpse into how she was raised facing Cora, Emma began to respect Regina. That respect culminated into fierce determination to save her life. It wasn’t just about doing the right thing; Emma had the power within her to stop the trigger, and Henry needed his mother. But it was _more_ than that. _She_ didn’t want Regina to die. Emma’s respect for the mayor had magnified tenfold in witnessing what was to be her sacrifice - to save a town where the majority of the citizens still loathed her. The quality of Regina’s character then had only affirmed what Emma was beginning to feel towards her - respect and friendship. Henry’s kidnapping and working together in Neverland was the defining moment for Emma’s belief in the former evil queen. How Regina fought against the darkness within herself, not relapsing into old, familiar ways. She was trying so hard not to be the woman she was, but Regina also held no regrets because all of her suffering and the suffering she had inflicted gave her Henry. It was a perspective that Emma had difficulty wrapping her mind around because her heart was filled with regrets, but it was Regina’s steel will that had allowed her to escape Pan in the end.

“Pan’s tree,” she said quietly, coming to terms with her own feelings towards the mayor. “I think ... “ Emma sighed, lips tightly pressed together as she stood up. “No. I _know_ that’s when I really knew I cared for you.”

Too used to being deceived where emotions were concerned, Regina’s first reaction to that was denial.  She felt like Emma would try to say something, anything, simply to make her not feel so dreadfully awkward.  But, this was a unique moment, and even she recognized that snapping just then would ruin any chance.  Regina’s expression was difficult to read when she looked at Emma, lips pursed.  Emma had never given any indication that she had feelings for her, so it was impossible to believe that the former sheriff meant what she said in any way than platonic.

“Of course.  My ruthlessness gave us the edge to defeat that teenaged brat,” Regina voiced softly, despite her content.  “And save our son.”

“No, Regina. Your love for Henry did,” Emma corrected. “You love him that much you wouldn’t change anything. Despite everything you’ve endured.”

“Regardless, I can understand that that moment would allow you to see me in a better light.”

“I saw you in a better light much longer than that, Regina,” Emma said with an earnest smile. “I just mean that … I can see where things became… deeper. I guess?” She scrunched her face, hating how she couldn’t articulate herself very well when it came to sensitive emotions like this. “I mean, we were friends before right?”

Regina’s pulse quickened, a shy smile lighting her face.  “You think so?”

Despite the smile directed at her, Emma looked confused. “Didn’t you?”

“Well… yes.  Honestly, there hasn’t been time to analyze how I view ‘us’ in any detail,” she admitted.  

Then, Regina lapsed into another awkward silence because, again, Emma had only acknowledged them as friends and nothing more.  If it was her subtle way of saying there were friends-only, then that was that.  She looked back down at the letter from Rumpelstiltskin to Cora and tried to put it into context.  Regina had always assumed that it was written about her, but now, as she really studied the imp’s writing, dread filled her as she began to doubt.

“Well, why don’t we then?” Emma suggested. “Figure us out? I mean … I was so sure about a lot of things with us, Regina. But now?” she trailed off inside her own head again.

 _Like going to New York with Henry_. It was her main motivation: to protect their son. A more selfish reason was to escape Storybrooke. Despite the familial ties that the mayor had pointed out, Emma felt she had nothing here. But was she wrong in believing that was the case now?

Regina looked from the letter to Emma’s earnest expression, then back to Rumpelstiltskin’s letter to her mother.  She looked pained as she forced her gaze up to Emma’s green eyes.

“You are going to need to express your feelings clearly or I’ll believe you want to plan a coffee club with me,” she said tersely, and only because she was on the defensive.  Regina held the letter out in front of her.  “Zelena _is_ my sister.”

She closed her eyes, inhaling a shaky breath before glancing towards the letter - feeling like an idiot for trying to steer the conversation onto them. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” she said quietly, looking away now. “You want to try and go find her?”

Emma was filling the air with words because she really couldn’t handle anything more uncomfortable between them.

Regina shook her head no, and sat down on the stone bench in a huff.  She set the letter down and sighed heavily, resting her elbows on her thighs, running her hands through her hair before covering her face with them.

“No.  Emma… I… I _can’t_ face her.  I… read this.”

Leaving their personal distresses aside, Emma took the invitation to read the letter, sitting next to Regina where the parchment had been placed. She had promised to help and she intended to keep her word, regardless of whatever was, or wasn’t, happening between them now. Green eyes read over the letter and immediately realized why Regina was shaken up. The letter referred to Cora’s oldest child being quite powerful and talented and all this time, Regina had presumed it was about her.

“It doesn’t matter what Gold said back then,” she said, touching Regina’s shoulder gently without thought, being her typical determined self. “It’s not like you’re going to face Zelena alone when you have me. We’ll stop her together.”

Regina shook her head impatiently.  “It’s not that simple, Emma.  If _he_ trained us both and _he_ believes Zelena to be the more powerful… I don’t stand a chance against her.  And you?  No offense but sparking an occasional fire is not going to help.  Your magic is too random.”

“No offense taken. I suck,” she smiled, making fun of herself. “But Gold told me that Zelena’s afraid of me. I figure it’s because of my magic. So … you’ll just have to teach me again. Like in Neverland,” she stated firmly, squeezing Regina’s shoulder. “We create some serious magic together, and I know we’ll kick your sister’s ass back to Oz with it.”

“How can you sound so confident?  Oh wait.  Charming family optimism.  Right.”  Regina sighed, then added, “Sorry.  It’s just that… if he trained her, she knows _everything_ I know.  And you’d learn as much as you can of what I know.  So how does that help exactly?”

“She’s doesn’t know everything you know. Just like you don’t know everything about her. Which I know’s a major understatement at this point,” she said seriously. “What little she does know about you, she’s crazy jealous over it. Use it against her. I mean, you told me magic’s all about emotion and focus. Take one away from her, she’s going to fail. As for me?” she shrugged, her hand slipping away. “I got savior magic. Or… _whatever_. It’s got to be different in some way? Why she’s afraid of it?” she asked with uncertainty because this topic wasn’t where her strength lay.

Regina nodded, pulling inward as she tried to think how this could possibly work.  If she hadn’t promised Henry to be good, Regina _knew_ how she would’ve handled Zelena.  But, she was doing so much to prove herself worthy of her son that it left her somewhat incapacitated - she felt - against her sister.

“Alright.  Fine.  I’ll continue your training,” she said decisively.  “Then, when this is all settled, you and Henry can go back to your lives in New York.”

“What?” Emma was unable to hide her shock. “You’re … just letting us go?”

Regina rose and stood so quickly, one might’ve thought she’d been zapped by magic in the backside, forcing the savior to jerk back in response. She cleared her throat and nodded, keeping her back to Emma.  Quickly, she wiped her eyes and put steel in her voice.

“That’s what the hero does, right?  Make sacrifices.”  

 _Besides,_ she thought but did not say, _you are only interested in us as friends.  This is too small of a town.  I can’t live with that if you stay._

“I don’t understand. I sorta thought we were going to talk about us before we figured out what to do about New York,” she forced out, not understanding why Regina had suddenly made a snap decision right now.

But, Regina didn’t want to talk about them any further.  She had _needed_ more from Emma than being _unsure_ about New York after her confession.  She had needed to hear more than Emma seeing them as friends.  The mayor shook her head and drew inward further, composing herself in the process.

“Not now.  We have a villain to thwart.  And making arrangements for Neal,” Regina said adamantly.

“No. You don’t get to brush me off like this,” she snapped back defensively, feeling the sting of tears. “I get you wanting to protect yourself after what you admitted, but instead of listening to me and giving me a chance to process anything, all I get are backhanded remarks and a cold shoulder. But I guess I should’ve expected that. Emma can’t articulate herself so she obviously doesn’t care.”  Swallowing back a sob, she got up and shook her head, feeling rejected. “Forget about the arrangements. I’ll do them myself. Only thing I’m good for right now is getting rid of your sister.”

“ _Emma._ ”  Regina growled her name, but then helplessness slipped into her tone when she spoke.  That was telling because Regina never showed that level of vulnerability.  To anyone.  “I’m only trying to do what’s best.  To protect you and Henry both.  Let’s face it… even if you did have any sort of feelings for me, I have a _terrible_ track record with love.  If you were both happy there, and that’s what you had felt you wanted… then I’m going to be unselfish for once and respect that.”

“But that was _before_ I found out you cared about me!” Emma urged. “I …” she faltered again, throwing her hands down against her sides. “It’s just not so simple anymore, Regina.”

Regina waited her out, finally turning to look at her which gave the savior some strength to find her words. Talking to the mayor’s back was unnerving because she couldn’t read her expression.

“I felt terrible that I was going to take Henry away from you, Regina. So I didn’t want to leave initially, but I felt there was no other option to keep him safe. I also felt it was the right decision for me because I didn’t feel close to anyone here that mattered. I had no connection here in Storybrooke. And I _don’t_ count my parents. Or the people that loved me just because I broke your fucking curse,” she said angrily, balling her hands into fists to stop them from shaking. “Neverland changed my perspective on a lot of things around here. Especially when it comes to David and Mary Margaret. But also _you_ too. I …” eyes fell away from Regina’s to steel her own resolve. “I had no idea that there was someone here that cared about me like you do. That there was a reason to actually stay …”

Regina exhaled, then bit down on her lower lip.  Impulsively, she reached for Emma’s hand and gave it a firm squeeze.  “I’d like very much to be that reason.”

It was taking every ounce of willpower to keep her head on straight. Much like Regina, Emma despised feeling so vulnerable with anyone. But as often as it was the case with the mayor, Emma found herself being able to do a lot of unexpected things with her by her side.

“Really?” she asked, looking unsure despite her eyes glistening with hope. Emma wanted to believe and squeezed Regina’s hand back in response.

“Yes, really.  But, this conversation was entirely forced on us by what Zelena said,” Regina pointed out.  “Let’s take things one step at a time.  We can’t let her causing this moment distract us.  That may well be what she was _intending_.”

“Point taken,” Emma admitted, blinking rapidly to reign herself under control. When she spoke up again, the strong, determined, tone that Regina was used to from Emma had returned. “Long as you promise me we do. Take this, _us_ , seriously. When we can.”

Letting go of her hand, Regina smoothed her outfit and nodded.  “Yes.  I promise.”

“Alright. Great,” she said with relief, her face brightening with a smile that reached her eyes. Emma’s face did soften quickly though, feeling disappointed at her earlier outburst. “And you know I didn’t mean it. About the funeral, right? I really do need your help, Regina.”

Regina’s knowing smirk returned.  “I know, dear.  Let’s go.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelations and feelings are brought to the forefront as Emma and Regina work together on how to prepare the mayor for the showdown with her sister ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comment, kudos and bookmarks. Casrin and I appreciate the time you have taken to read our story. I had wanted to post the previous chapter earlier, but there were some hiccups with AO3. So! Another chapter today! We're currently working on chapter 7 =) 
> 
> Please let us know what you think or have questions!

_My poor little prince.  He had to face the loss of his father far too soon.  And, he’ll have to do it twice: now, and then again when Henry regains his memories.  When we defeat my damned sister,_ Regina thought.

More than once, Robin had given her concerned, imploring looks.  Regina ignored them and refused to make eye contact.  She found it hard to believe that he’d had a connection to Baelfire, but it had turned out it was Robin Hood who had helped Neal get from the Enchanted Forest to Neverland!  The small world nature of their existences was sometimes baffling, even to her.

The mourning party had left the cemetery and met at Granny’s Diner for a wake.  Granny had insisted on taking lead on this aspect of the funeral which was fine by Regina.  She had made funeral arrangements as promised and the irony was not lost on her that she had a role in burying two of Emma’s love interests.  That fact was what had made her especially reflective and quiet, both at the cemetery and now at the wake as she stood toward the back of the diner, watching the others as they mingled.

Emma had taken up a spot next to Henry in the booth he was sharing with Mary Margaret and David, barely listening to what the three of them were talking about. They were sharing heavily edited stories of Neal and Henry just soaked it all in. She was grateful for it, despite the underlying feelings she felt towards them. But today wasn’t about her. It was about remembering Neal Cassidy, and the life he lived and gave up to protect the ones  he loved.  Emma would be forever grateful for Regina’s help in giving him the burial he deserved.

Green eyes flittered through the crowd, looking for no one in particular but somehow they immediately went to Regina. Her gaze lingered on the mayor as the savior’s mind went back to reeling all over again at the revelations that occurred in the vault. As much as she was able to understand why, it was still a crazy concept to grasp that Regina Mills had feelings for her.

 _And you know you care about her. Just ... how deep does it go?_ Emma had agreed that Zelena probably wanted to elicit a struggle between the two of them. It just happened to backfire on her. The only problem, as usual in this town, was the lack of breathing room to figure anything out. The savior wanted to really understand her own emotions and express herself clearly, but there was never enough time.

“There you are, Swan!”

The drawl of Hook’s voice made the savior roll her eyes. His voice was tempered given the solemn occasion at least. She regarded him but said nothing, just waited expectantly to hear what he wanted. Hook and Neal may not have been on the best terms as Neverland proved, but the pirate still had a history with him.

Hook pressed his lips together, quite confused at the lack of response from Emma. He attributed it to the mourning atmosphere and the blonde’s continued disparity in how to handle her son’s missing memories. “I just wanted to pay my respects to you and your boy, Emma. And seeing that there’s a lot on your plate today, I thought it be a good gesture to take young Henry on a walk and reminisce about his father together.”

That suggestion brought Emma to her feet, clearly struggling with his request. Taking Hook by the arm and leading him a few feet away from the booth, she spoke clearly and concisely because she was in no mood to explain herself again. “Not a good time right now for this. Maybe another time.”

“What better day to speak about the boy’s father than _this_ day?” he argued. “I only want to help him during this rough patch. And to help you.”

Perhaps if the conversation hadn’t gone the way it did in Regina’s vault, Emma may have taken Hook up on his offer, but it just wasn’t going to happen. Not when she realized that all of the sass directed at her about Hook was due to jealousy. And agreeing to have him go off alone with Henry and _not_ talk to Regina about it first? Emma wanted nothing to be misconstrued between them. “I appreciate the sentiment but it still has to be another time,” she said without hesitation, glancing briefly towards the mayor.

Just as Hook approached Emma, Regina had been just about to approach the Charming’s table herself to pay her respects once more to Henry and Emma.  She planned on going back to the mansion to plot how best to train her love interest / protege.  But, Tinkerbell came up from behind her and grabbed her elbow, angling her toward the counter.

“Is _that_ who I think it is?” the fairy whispered with excited glee.

“That highly depends on what you believe, Tinkerbell.”

Unfazed by her taciturn nature, Tink said, “That is the man with the lion tattoo!  From your past!  It’s not too late, Regina!  You should talk to him.”

Regina shot her _the look_.  “I’ve already spoken with him.  His name is Robin Hood--”

And, just then, he _had_ to look over.  Wizened eyes crinkled when he smiled and gave a polite wave toward the mayor and the fairy.  Regina nodded at him, then looked back at Tink.

“--and if _you_ would like to get to know him,” she said dryly, “I’d be glad to facilitate introductions.  Otherwise, the subject is closed.  Do you understand me?”

Robin opened his posture, making it obvious that they were both invited over to stand at the counter with him.  Tinkerbell walked over, tugging Regina along with her.  She looked toward Emma, hoping the blonde could give her an out, but she had problems of her own with the pirate.

“Care for a drink, ladies?” Robin offered.

Tink bobbed her head as Regina shook her head no.  “I don’t morning drink.  Robin, Tinkerbell.  Tinkerbell, meet Robin Hood.  I’m sure the two of you can find a lot to talk about.  Forest life and all that...”

Archie Hopper had observed the brief but intense interaction between Emma and Captain Hook and felt it was his duty to intervene in his own polite way.  Clearing his throat and looking apologetic for interrupting, Archie said, “Perhaps I could offer a compromise?  Since I have history working with Henry already, I could ask him to take a walk with Pongo and me?  I promise to keep to safe topics…”

Hook had given the cricket an irritated glance, not at all pleased for the interruption. He had lost his opportunity in questioning why the object of his affections was looking positively distraught towards Regina.

“That would be really kind of you, Archie,” the savior said with gratitude. “I’d appreciate it.”

Hopper nodded, clearly happy to be helpful.

“Now hold on.” Killian tapped the end of his hook against Archie’s arm. “The bug and his dog gets immediate approval because they’ve worked together prior? I went to Neverland to help save your boy - offering my ship and last magic bean …”

“That you _stole_ ,” she reminded him, cutting him off before Hook could go on painting an idealistic picture of what happened. “Let’s not forget that. Or …” but she faltered then. How to explain the turmoil she was feeling inside that didn’t hint at her true motivations that involved Regina.

Brows raised in curiosity, Hook took a step forward towards Emma in delighted challenge that she was unable to properly express herself. “Or what precisely?” he questioned, smirking in the knowledge that it perhaps had to do with their one moment of intimacy in that wretched land. A kiss. Emma’s behavior around him had been spotty since regaining her memories, but she had trusted him in New York to take the memory potion. He, of course, presumed with bristling arrogance that this was all about her feelings towards him.

“Or how immediately before that, you watched Regina get tortured,” she snapped with a viciousness that took the pirate and Dr. Hopper by surprise.

Archie recovered and cleared his throat, speaking softly but forcefully.  “There’s clearly history here that needs to be worked out, but _now_ is not the time or place.  If you’d like to come see me later, I am willing to listen and mediate, but… right now the focus needs to be on Neal’s remembrance.  And doing what’s best for Henry.”  He glanced toward the teenager who, frankly, looked politely bored by now.  “Can I introduce him to Pongo and give him something to do?”

She tore her gaze away from Hook and nodded apologetically towards Archie. “Yes. You’re right. This _is_ about Henry. _And_ Neal. I’ll walk over with you.”

Emma didn’t bother to look over at Hook. She was clearly done speaking to him about her grievances and as kind as Dr. Hopper was, it wasn’t going to happen in the future either.

The psychologist nodded and accompanied her over to the table.

“Hey, kiddo. This is Dr. Hopper, but everyone around here calls him Archie. And this handsome young man is Pongo,” she smiled down at the dalmatian, patting his head. “Pongo and Archie - this is Henry.” Now Emma was focused entirely on her son and missed the dual relieved looks that her parents had given her. “They wanted to personally pay their respect.”

He smiled at Henry and offered his hand in handshake.  “Hi, Henry.  Your father… he… he was an amazing man.  Did a lot of good things while he was in town.  But I… well, I know what it can be like to _be here_ with the somber moods and what-not.  Pongo’s in need of a little exercise.  Care to walk with us awhile?  Just to get some fresh air?”

Henry looked eager, but still glanced over at his mother. Emma smiled, giving him an encouraging nod. “Go on if you want. I think it’ll do you some good.”

“Alright,” he said, sliding out of the booth and onto his feet, where an excited Pongo butted his head against the young man’s leg. It made Henry smile - something that Emma had missed seeing on a regular basis. “You think I can walk him too?” he wondered, giving the excited pooch some scratches behind his ear.

“Absolutely.  Pongo would like that,” Archie said with a smile.

The duo plus dalmatian went out the back door and had no sooner left when the front door banged open, admitting Zelena.  Her mad blue eyes roved over the room, leering openly at Mary Margaret’s baby bump, before setting her sights on Regina.

 _Thank goodness Henry left with Hopper!_ she thought.   _At least that was a stroke of luck on our side!_

“What do _you_ want, witch?” Regina snapped, hand on her hip.

“Oh, sis--”  Zelena paused for dramatic effect as the assembly reacted to that news.  She didn’t seem surprised that Regina had kept the family secret quiet.  That was the story of Zelena’s life!  “--I am here to call you out.  Now that you _all_ know who I am, let’s cut to the chase.  At midnight.  You and me. On Main Street.  I challenge you, Regina.”

Fear pricked her soul, her mind going back to Rumpelstiltskin’s letter.  But, she was a former queen and did not let the feeling show.  “This _isn’t_ the wild west, _sis_.”

Zelena closed the space between them faster than anyone could really react.  Regina held her ground, glaring at her as the redhead said, “No, dear.  It’s the wicked west.  Tonight!  Just you and me!  Don’t back down or there will be con-se-quences!”

Cutting through the crowd quickly, Emma wanted to get closer to Regina in case the verbal threats were just a distraction. “The only consequences happening around here are the ones you’re going to face,” she declared, breaking free to stare down Zelena.

Like Regina, Zelena was not about to show fear… no matter how she felt about the so-called savior.  She only smirked at the blonde, then gave them both a knowing wink.  “How adorable!  I’ll see you tonight, sis!”

And with that, she poofed away in a green puff of magical smoke.  Regina looked around the diner, meeting the expression of every person who looked at her.

“Yes!  She's my damned sister!" she growled. Eyeing Leroy, Regina said, "As if we all don't have relatives we'd like to get rid of."

Leroy just gaped back at her.

David had long since stood up, defensively standing next to his wife and looked angrily at Regina. “And you withheld this information? How long have you known about this?”

Regina gave him a withering look. "And what secrets have you kept, shepherd?  We've known for a whopping 18 hours or so, not that it matters. Emma and I learned this just after you left the park with Henry."

Now David’s expression softened into disappointment when he regarded his daughter. “You knew as well. And didn’t tell us?”    

“Oh please. Like it would’ve made much of a difference if _you_ knew,” Emma countered, not affected by the hurt that she heard in her father’s voice. “Finding out she was Regina’s sister didn’t help us find her any faster. She just shows up uninvited like always. And besides, it’s not my place to go around spilling Regina’s business to the entire town.”

David shook his head in disagreement. “But whatever Zelena wants with her _is_ our business when it affects the life of our unborn baby. Whatever she’s planning, we need to share all information available so we can work together to combat her.”

Regina shook her head. "You heard her. The vendetta she has concerns me. I have to face her alone."

“The hell?” Emma blinked, entire body jerking back in surprise as she eyed the brunette. “I know she wants to throw down with just you tonight, but we talked about this. We do this together.”

 _Oh, cute.  Our first fight,_ Regina thought sarcastically.   _In front of the whole town._

“I know that.  I’m referring to tonight,” she said with forced patience.  “And with that said, if you’ll excuse me, I do need to prepare for this… showdown.”

“Then I’m coming with you,” the blonde insisted.    

Regina was going to insist that she stay put on account of Henry, then remembered he wasn’t a boy anymore.  Then, she was going to insist because she was used to doing things in a solitary manner, but she ended up biting the inside of her cheek instead.  Regina gave a curt nod and, since Henry was already gone, proceeded to poof Emma and herself to the mansion.

“The hell, Regina?!” the savior unceremoniously fell against the couch with frantic eyes. The poofing hadn’t caused any unwanted effects. It just caught Emma by surprise. “Give a warning next time!”

“Magic has its own dramatic flare, dear.  You’ll have to find your style.  Mine is for making a dramatic entrance and exit,” Regina said with a thin smirk.  

With that, she walked to the decanter in the den and decided that she’d lied to Robin: she was indeed going to have a morning drink.  Regina poured a glass of cider for herself, then one for Emma out of courtesy, and took a hard swallow of her own before walking back to the living room with the glasses.

“I hope you didn’t insist on coming with me in order to give me a patented Charming family pep-talk about good triumphing over evil,” Regina said matter-of-factly.

With a roll of her eyes, she took the glass. “You know their continuous optimism drives me nuts. I won’t subject you to more ‘contrived drivel’ or whatever it is you’d say.” She took a sip of the homemade cider and immediately smiled with another memory of them sharing this drink. “You’re not going to kick me out again right?” she asked cheekily, shaking the contents of the glass. “I get to finish the glass this time?”

Regina smirked, but a genuine smile was peeking behind it.  “We’ll see if you can stay on your best behavior, Miss Swan.”

She sighed then and sat down beside her. Knees pressed tightly together, the skirt of her dress was taut enough that she could’ve set her cider glass atop it successfully.  Regina held it in both hands though as she stared blankly at the other side of the room.

Scooching closer, the savior shifted her hips so she was facing Regina more directly to talk. “ _My_ best behavior? Need I remind you of the unauthorize poofing you did minutes ago?” The playful smile on her face faded once the mayor’s mood had fully registered.

“Hey,” she said quietly, nudging Regina gently knee to knee, “We’ll stop her.”

“The overall war, yes.  The battle tonight?  No.  You _can’t_ interfere tonight, Emma,” Regina said, turning to look at her.  “There isn’t enough time to train you and I don’t want her to try and do anything to you if you step in, savior magic or not.”

“You’re seriously telling me _not_ do anything?” she said incredulously, gripping the glass within her hand even tighter as she bristled with frustration. “You know how well that works with me,” she warned.

Regina downed the rest of her drink and quickly set the glass on a coaster, on the side table.  As she went through the motions with the glass, she said, “You have to stay out of it.  Emma… you saw his letter.  Zelena is more powerful than me.  I’m _not_ going to let you risk yourself.  So help me, I’d poof your ass off Main Street and into a kennel at the shelter if I had to.”

“Great. Please do,” she said, narrowing her gaze. “And make sure to bring Pongo. He’d be better company than you are right now. I get that you’re afraid, but come _on_.”

No matter what she felt for Emma, Regina did not tolerate backtalk well.  She never had.  Acting on instinct, she curled her fingers and almost magicked Emma back to the diner without a word.  Instead, she swallowed hard and relaxed her hand, glowering at the blonde.

“You _can_ feel free to leave.  It was _your_ idea to accompany me,” she pointed out.  “I am not quite in the mood to play polite hostess.  I have a few larger issues on my mind right now.”

 _Like the fact that Zelena will humiliate and defeat me in front of the whole damned town tonight.  How do we protect Henry from_ this?

The weight of her words made Emma backpedal, knowing what had triggered in her snapping at Regina. “I’m sorry. It’s ... “ she sighed, repositioning her legs over the edge of the couch to set the glass aside on the coffee table. “ … I’m just _worried_ what’ll happen to you. And I can’t do anything about it. I _know_ I have to stay out of it. She set the rules and if we don’t abide by them, she’ll end up hurting someone …” _Like Henry._ Emma was a passionate fool whose temper sometimes got away from her, but she understood consequences all too well.

Regina nodded, accepting the apology.  She was glad to realize Emma realized the stakes of this game her sister was playing.  She smoothed her already perfect skirt as she gathered her thoughts.  

“Emma… what I need to say won’t be easy, but you have to hear me out.  Zelena _will_ … hand me my ass tonight, as you’d be apt to say.  I will do my best and fight my hardest and most cunning, but I am under no illusion that I will come out victorious,” Regina admitted.  “If… if the worst happens, I want you to do what is best for you and Henry.  Don’t avenge me.  Just do what _you_ need to do for Henry’s sake.  If that means you just get out of town with him.  Focus on our son.”

She sat there speechless for a moment, grabbing the cider and downing it in two gulps because Emma knew her immediate reaction would stir the pot and start another fight. Licking her lips, she found her courage to look at Regina, green eyes hardening under the pressure of this situation. “This is shit timing. All of it,” she finally said. “You telling me you care about me? And now you’re going on about the possibility of getting killed?”

“Well not intentionally.  Of course not,” Regina snapped.  

Shaking her head, Emma worked her jaw, chewing on the inside of her cheek with despair. “It’s not going to happen. No,” she said adamantly. “You’re _not_ dying on me.”

The mayor sighed heavily and rose, pacing the length of the living room.  There was the whole day with which to prepare for this wild west showdown Zelena planned, but Regina really had no idea _how_ to prepare.  Regina thought about this older sister of hers and how insanely jealous she was of the life she had.  She considered how Zelena had studied her, and thought she knew what she was missing.

“If she really is family and was truly trained by Rumpel,” she mused aloud, talking to herself, “she’ll go for the heart.  For _my_ heart.  It’s what he’d taught all three of us.  Zelena might not even want me _dead_ because the ability to _control_ Gold and me would give her even more power.  At least in her own mind…”

Regina stopped cold and turned to stare at Emma, who jerked back as if the force of the mayor’s stare had shifted her upon the couch.

“What?” asked savior with great confusion. “You got a plan?” this time asking with some hope within her tone.

“Perhaps…”  Regina certainly looked more determined than she had since discovering that Zelena was referenced in the letter.  “I cannot face her with my heart beating in my chest.  It has to be what she’s after.  It’s what we _do_.  Collect hearts and control others.  So, I will have to hide mine to keep it from Zelena’s covetous clutches.”

“And then she can’t kill you either,” Emma chimed in, but wasn’t entirely certain. She only had a pre-school degree in magical arts after all. “Right?” she asked, need reassurances that her line of thought may have some merit here. “I mean, if for some crazy reason she does try and do that … if you’re heart isn’t there ... could you die?”

Regina paused, giving the surreal question serious thought.  In her experience, deaths had been directly related to the crushing of one’s enchanted heart.  She had no way of knowing if physical injury or harm could still kill her, even if her heart were safe.  Gold would likely know, but there was no consulting him in his state.

“I don’t know,” she said simply.  

Deflated, she wouldn’t let it consume all of her hope. “You’re really sure she doesn’t want to kill you?”

Regina could only shrug.  “Emma, I have no idea.  She hates me.  That is all that’s clear.  I’m only following the single trail I can think of where all things lead back to Rumpelstiltskin.  He would’ve taught Zelena how to take a heart, and that’s certainly the modus operandi in my family.”

Emma sat up straight with a realization of just how true that statement was. “Yeah. It is. Even your mother tried to take my heart …” But Cora hadn’t succeeded. Whether it was the power of being a child born of True Love, her status as the savior, or both, one couldn’t say. It was just fact that the Mills women had a penchant for heart stealing.

Regina’s eyes widened.  She growled, “Mother tried to take your heart?!”

Her outburst momentarily took the savior aback. “Regina, it’s fine. She couldn’t. Pick your reason but Cora couldn’t pull it from my chest.” She then smiled apologetically. “I really thought you knew but as usual, a lot of things go unsaid around this town where we presumed they were already talked about.”

Regina made a dangerous, exasperated sound.  “I’ve really _had it_ with my blood family.”

But, learning this did galvanize the mayor into action.  Knowing that Cora would’ve killed Emma if she could have - something that she had once wanted to do herself! - made Regina very angry.  Having someone to _destroy_ \- like Mother - had always been her style.  If she could channel that rage back at Zelena, then maybe there was reason to hope.  

“Alright!  It’s settled that my heart needs to be somewhere secure.  The mansion is not safe, nor is the vault… as much as it pains me to say that.  Where in the hell can I hide my heart that Zelena would never find it?” Regina asked.

“Since a random hole in the middle of the forest is probably out of the question,” she said offhandedly - neither woman aware that Regina had actually tried to bury her heart as such back in the Enchanted Forest. “Why don’t we go with something she’ll never expect?” She pushed herself off the couch and approached Regina with stark determination. “Give it to me.”

Emma had shocked her twice in as many minutes.  And that was evident in how she addressed her.   “You must be joking, Miss Swan.”

She scrunched her face towards the side, but let the Miss Swan name slide. “One,” she held up a finger, “Zelena’s afraid of me and doesn’t know that we know this little tidbit. Regardless of what she might believe is happening between us, she’ll never believe you gave up your heart to anyone. You’re too controlling like her.” She smirked, shrugging at the truth of it, “No offense.”

Regina pursed her lips.  “None taken.  I think.”

“Second point,” and of course she held up another finger, “I just told you Cora couldn’t get my heart, and we know your vault’s not safe. So, your walking vault just happens to be standing right here.”

It was simple logic to Emma, but was it possible to do this? That she wasn’t certain of. Could two hearts occupy the same space through magic? Regina had fallen silent, considering the possibility and the consequences.  It was, frankly, a crazy idea and Emma was right: Zelena would never anticipate a move like this.  It was also ridiculously intimate in a way that made Regina squirm inside.

“Emma.  You’d _really_ do this for me?  You’d be willing to carry my darkened heart in your chest?  Because, you know, if it really is what Zelena wants… this will last longer than just today and this evening.  You’d have to protect _my_ heart until… until this is done.”

Emma’s mind had been made up since suggesting the possibility of securing Regina’s heart. “Of course I’d do this for you. I _want_ to help and if I can’t fight alongside you tonight,” she said with desperation, “then at least I know how I can keep you safe from her.”

She slipped her hand into Regina’s, squeezing it with reassurance. Regina squeezed her hand back.  

“And I will do this for however long it takes.” The conviction in her voice was admirable, but even it faltered with uncertainty. “This is also assuming it can work.”

Regina flushed and actually smiled despite the severity of the circumstances.  Brown eyes zeroed in on Emma’s green ones.  “I think this answers the question of your feelings for me?”

She chuckled, closing her eyes for a split second. “Asking you for your heart does kind of paint a picture huh?”

“With only significant quantities of hand-holding to go on, I’d say so,” Regina said with a wink.  “Not so much as a first date or first kiss, and already, you want me to give you my heart…”

“Who the hell has time to date in this town?” she pointed out, stepping closer into Regina’s space. Her heart quickened at how bold she was being, but she considered this moment compensation for having been an idiot Charming - taking so long to realize what was right before her the entire time. Eyes narrowed, a smile slowly spreading across her face as Emma fixed her gaze upon mayor’s. “Second one I could easily catch us up on …”

Regina took a deep breath and held it.  She smiled again, staring at Emma.  “We ought to have at least one kiss before you completely take my heart.”

“Funny,” she said quietly, leaning in closer as the savior brought her free hand up to cup Regina’s cheek gently, “I kind of presume I already did ...”

Regina’s smile widened, showing in her eyes, despite the stress that precipitated this.  “Well, you’d best be certain, _Emma_.”

Her lips parted with a soft sigh. Now fully understanding just how deeply she cared for Regina, Emma could allow herself to _feel._ How her name was just spoken by the smooth, silken, voice of the mayor, she couldn’t help feeling a shiver of anticipatory nerves run down her spine. “Yeah. I think I’m liking that suggestion. To be certain …” she whispered, green eyes honing onto brown ones before she closed the distance between them, pressing their lips together softly.

Regina gasped into the gentle kiss, moving her lips against Emma’s as she closed her eyes.  She found herself clutching the blonde’s biceps for balance’s sake because her legs had gone watery and Regina thought she might fall down!

Closing her eyes to fully appreciate their kiss, Emma focused on the softness of Regina’s lips, how she responded back quickly, and how fingers curled around her arms. It caused a sigh to escape, feeling her body buzzing and wanting as Emma wished that this could have happened sooner. It felt so _right_. It was the complete opposite of what happened with Hook back in Neverland. That was an obligation, an intense emotional struggle of almost losing her father despite the disconnect she continued to feel toward David. It had opened her to the possibility of thanking the pirate in the _one_ way he wanted. Looking back, Emma regretted it because all it had done was further Hook’s obsession with her but most importantly, it had hurt Regina. Yes, she hadn’t known, but now she did. She parted her lips, deepening their kiss as a silent apology for being so terribly blind.

Regina heard a moaning sound and realized, with some shock, that it came from _her!_ She tightened the way she gripped Emma’s shoulders, responding to the kiss.  Her lips parted, desire racing through her veins.  She pulled back abruptly though, staring at Emma with wide, dark eyes. Emma was doing much the same, wondering if she had done something wrong. Maybe she shouldn’t have stepped it up a notch and kept the kiss light?

“You’re kissing me,” she stated.

“That’s why you pulled away?” she asked stunned, yet also relieved. “I can assure you ... that was _me_ kissing _you_.” Green eyes shined with the same desire that had built swiftly between them while her thumb traced soft patterns across the brunette’s cheek.

Regina licked her lips, looking quietly startled and vulnerable.  “I… ahem.  It’s been a long time.  A very long time.” She smiled.  “I’d… dreamed of this moment for weeks.  And here it is.”

Lips pursed together, Emma raised her chin as she mulled over Regina’s confession. “A … couple of years? Wasn’t _that_ long ago, Regina. Not that I’m not standing here on a high knowing you were imagining _us_ for weeks...”

She really didn’t want to bring up Graham by name - not with the history that all three of them shared - but Emma was confident that Regina would pick up on what she was referring to. The mayor pursed her lips, trying to decide how much she wanted to explain or share.  Regina really didn’t want to explain how intimacy with Graham had been about power and control over Storybrooke’s original sheriff.  He had complained that he didn’t _feel_ anything; honestly, neither had she beyond the power trip.

“Emma… just… trust me when I say it’s been _years_.”  Her expression softened.  “But, I am pleased to know I put you on a high.  Your kiss did much the same for me.””

Regina went all mysterious on her, but Emma couldn’t expect her to open up about everything so easily. She had always been so guarded with her feelings and the fact that they were standing here together, wanting to be with each other already spoke enough volumes than wondering what _exactly_ Regina meant.

“Yeah?” A blonde brow arched upwards as she grinned. “Better than what you imagined too, I bet,” she added playfully, but there was an underlying confident tone that could be heard.

Regina grinned and chuckled at Emma’s swagger.

“Well, that would be kissing and telling, right?” she teased.  “Even a former queen knows better than to do that…”

“But, it’s me!” she almost whined. “You could totally tell me what was going on in that beautiful head of yours before we _actually_ kissed.” Both brows went upwards this time as Emma put on her best pleading look to overload the mayor with how adorable she was right now. “Right?”

But, Regina only smiled.  This felt far more natural and comfortable than she ever would have imagined.  It was new and familiar all at once, which made her wonder at the latter sensation.  And, it grounded Regina back into the moment too.  Emma had volunteered to protect her dark heart from Zelena’s schemes.  She pulled back, hands sliding down her arms to take her hands.

“Emma… having my heart won’t be easy.  In your chest for safe-keeping.  Or in the emotional sense of caring for me.  The latter, I’m sure you can believe easily,” she said dryly.  “I know your magic is naturally powerful.  But, are you really certain that you can handle my darkness inside you?”

She could tell by Regina’s tone they were back to being serious about the threat Zelena posed. “Honestly?” she paused to really think on this because it wasn’t just a question to take so lightly. Regina’s track record since becoming Gold’s student back in the Enchanted Forest had really muddied the waters within the brunette’s heart. “Yeah,” she nodded, squeezing Regina’s hands reassuringly. “I may not have experienced what you did, but my life wasn’t easy too. I might be the ‘savior’ here and can basically do no wrong, but I’m not innocent. There’s a lot more to my story then what you found out when I first came here.”

Emma had her secrets too.

“Regardless, we both got to where we are now by surviving, or because of revenge. Either way, they scar hearts pretty badly. I’ll adjust. I have no other choice but to so I can keep you safe.”

It was all Regina really need to hear.  She leaned in and kissed Emma then, sighing as their lips touched.  It elicited a moan from the mayor yet again and she squeezed her hands, feeling the savior immediately return the kiss. Emma was more than agreeable for more kissing instead of talking because their first kiss had certainly left an impression. Specifically the _moan_ that had been enticed out of Regina. She wondered how swiftly that could be duplicated, but Emma didn’t have to wait long at all. Nor did the blonde wait in deepening it further.

Regina moved her hands to Emma’s waist, holding her lightly as if she were fragile.  Her lips moved against hers, moaning again as she quickly fell under the spell of desire that Emma weaved. It was much the same for the blonde who was quickly escalating their kiss. She brushed her tongue along Regina’s lower lip, wanting to gain entrance as hands quested over her hips and soon up sides.

The brunette groaned and parted her lips, eyes rolling into the back of her head as she closed her eyes as desire raced through her.  Her grip at Emma’s waist tightened, kissing back eagerly.   But, she once again broke the kiss.  Panting, she stared wildly at the object of her affection, trying to believe it now that this was really happening.

“Emma… I…”  Regina frowned, trying not to falter because she knew Emma would panic and that was the last thing she wanted.  “I… _I choose you._  I… I… you just need to _know_ that.”

Wondering what was wrong now, Emma blinked in a daze to refocus on what Regina was saying because that woman’s kisses were making it next to impossible to think about _anything_ else. She licked her lips, looking positively confused at this out of context confession.

“I kind of figured that. With all the kissing. Which by the way, we’ve stopped doing again.” She smiled patiently.

An explanation could come later, Regina decided.  She’d expressed what she needed to say. A smug smile crossed her lips, gazing at Emma. “Then, you’d best kiss all the talk right out of me, don’t you think?”

“I’m _really_ beginning to enjoy these new challenges with our relationship, Madam Mayor,” Emma said, her smile widening as she brought their lips together once more. They were right back where they had _just_ ended, immediately demanding entrance inside Regina’s mouth, determined to leave the other woman in a daze and no longer able to speak.

Regina yielded to Emma’s kiss, sliding her arms around her neck at last.  She understood that the words were not going to come easily to Emma, but could tell that the other woman was very much into her.  And she let that desire for her show as she kissed back. The blonde was on guard though, despite the playful banter and the mounting desire that was rekindled as they kissed. She was readying herself for Regina to cease this once more, but it didn’t dissuade her from pressing against the other woman with a moan of her own.  

Because she didn’t want to lose the momentum of this kiss nor give herself a chance to pause and second-guess their desires, Regina used her magic to poof them up to her bedroom.  She slid her fingers through Emma’s hair and pulled back, smiling, so that the object of her affection could see where they were now standing.

“I want you, dear.  I want _us._ ”

Green eyes glanced about the room, surprised written all over them as it immediately registered where Regina had taken them. She eventually brought her gaze back around to Regina’s, a look still heavily laden with desire - just not as intense. Despite the assurances that she was given, Emma really needed to be sure.

“I want you too.” Her voice was thick with a different kind of need and had to take a moment to breathe. “You’re sure?” she asked quietly. “Not that things aren’t intense with us as a rule, but … things have been crazy. Between us and for us.”

Regina searched her focused green eyes and gave a single, sober nod.  “Yes, dear.”

Emma knew some of her history, the watered down version at least, from Henry’s magical story book.  So, if she’d read between the lines, she likely understood that Regina was - in her own mind - damaged goods.  The mayor just hoped that Emma understood her actual inexperience now and didn’t fault her for it as she stepped back and slowly and silently undressed under the savior’s gaze.

Not realizing she was holding her breath, Emma exhaled quite audibly as she accepted Regina’s answer. Eyes blinked rapidly, still finding it hard to believe that this was really happening though.

“Let me help,” she said softly, reaching for the mayor’s blouse once it was unbuttoned. Fingers gently slid the fabric over her shoulders and leaned down to press her lips along skin, working her way slowly towards Regina’s neck.

The brunette sighed with pleasure, startling at how amazing that felt.  She’d never known intimacy or tenderness.

“Emma!” she exclaimed, tangling her fingers into the blonde’s wavy mane.

“Easy there,” the savior said, smiling against where she had just begun to work her mouth along Regina’s jaw. “I barely started …”

“All new to me…”  Regina smiled shyly, tilting her head as tingles radiated out through her body, starting from where Emma’s lips touched.

 _That_ confession finally halted the savior because it pained her to hear that coming from Regina. Emma could have her conclusions as to the life that the mayor had here in Storybrooke or back in the Enchanted Forest, but it didn’t have the impact of honesty and timidness that she could hear in Regina’s voice. She place one last kiss against her jaw and pulled her head upwards, wanting their eyes to connect. It was making her rethink this. Was _this_ really the right moment for this to happen? Everything was moving so fast despite how it felt so right. Her silence was surely making Regina wrought with fright and kissed her lips softly to abate the nerves they both were facing now. But she was cut off before their mouths could meet.

“Don’t stop, Em.  Please don’t. If you do… I…”  Regina fell silent and shook her head, not even knowing how to finish the sentence.  It would devastate her to be rejected by the only person she’d loved since Daniel.  Her voice dropped to a whisper, uncharacteristically pleading.  “Please love me.”

Her throat seized shut, unable to find the words that could properly express how heart broken the blonde had become in hearing the desperation in Regina’s voice. The only time that she had heard this much pain coming from her was when it was regarding Henry. The only soul that she loved. Which meant that Regina loved _her_. Not so simple as just having feelings for her.

“Regina…” she brought their lips together, letting that speak volumes louder than anything else she could voice.

Regina pressed herself tightly to Emma then, kissing back with a clear need and hunger.  She gave herself to her former nemesis completely. Emma haphazardly shed off her jacket, not wanting to break the passionate kiss. She felt their tongues warring as the leather hit the floor. Hands roamed along the bare curves of Regina’s torso, kneading flesh before she moaned in disappointment that they weren’t full skin on skin. That need pressed Emma to break the kiss with a gasp, crossing her arms to grab at her own shirt to pull up and over her head.

Regina smiled and stared at her now half-naked torso. She reached to unfasten Emma's bra with a slight tremor in her hands.  Laying her bare, Regina unfastened her own, wanting them equal.

"You're beautiful... so lean and strong," the mayor whispered. "Perfection."

She reached out tentatively to cup Emma's breasts, exploring the feel of her skin, grazing her thumbs gently over her nipples. Emma wanted to argue that it was impossible that she was perfect - not with the beauty revealed before her. Body toned with flawless skin, the savior brushed her hands along Regina’s curves. She gasped softly, feeling her body respond to the brunette’s touch and brought their mouths together once again, kissing her slow and sensually. Regina wanted to feel loved and that’s precisely what Emma was going to give her.

Slowly she guided them towards the spacious bed, entirely making this about Regina now. Hands glided down towards the mayor’s hips, sliding around the waistband to find the zipper, which was undone quickly. Tugging the skirt down, lips went in the same direction, sighing as she worked them along Regina’s jaw and neck.

 _Emma’s safe… this is safe… nothing like Leopold, thank the deities…_ Regina thought, gasping softly.   _Safe, it’s all different…_

The gasp was encouragement as Emma sought out new areas of warm skin to explore. She moaned softly, kissing along Regina’s collarbone before questing lower to the swell of her breasts. Tearing hands away before fully undressing her, Emma grazed her lips around the curve of a breast as she cupped it, flicking her tongue out to circle an already hardened nipple. It made the savior’s desire lance straight to her own core and quickly took in the small nub within her mouth.

Regina went rigid as she bit down on her lower lip, stifling any sound that she might have made.  She ran her hands through Emma’s hair to encourage her, but she was utterly silent because that’s what she’d been taught to do… and thought that’s what every partner wanted.

Emma could immediately sense that something was amiss and released the brunette’s breast. Fingers lightly stroked from breast to side as Emma brought her concerned gaze to carefully search the mayor’s face for a clue as to what was wrong.

“Hey… You okay?” she urged, seeing some form of conflict that Regina was struggling with. “If it’s Henry, I know Zelena won’t hurt him or anyone for that matter. She’ll wait until tonight. And Archie knows how to contact me if there’s a problem.”

Regina snapped back to the moment and frowned, not having the first clue what Emma was talking about.  Then, she realized that she’d been caught out of the moment and grimaced.  

“I’m… I’m sorry I lost the moment, Emma.  I’ve never known sex as pleasurable, and I don’t know how to behave when _you_ are making me feel _alive_.”

“You have _nothing_ to apologize for,” she murmured, kissing into dark hair as Emma cradled Regina against her. “I’m sorry for thinking it was something completely else. I was way off.”

She then closed her eyes, resting her head atop the mayor’s with a mournful look as she voiced an earlier thought. “Look, I’m glad it’s me that’s able to do that for you, Regina. But maybe it’s too soon for all of this happening right now? I’m _not_ saying I don’t want you. All evidence to the contrary,” she said with a smile. “But we’re both dealing with a lot of shit right now. On top of what this means to you personally.”

“Yes… you’re right.  We’re rushing on account of my sister and her threat.  And, I should be preparing for tonight’s showdown rather than let myself be distracted.”  Regina smiled sadly.  “Even if you are a most worthy distraction.”

Regina agreeing with her actually made the savior as equally sad. She had erroneously believed that there would have been a counter to her argument, and they would have just picked up where they left off - trying to prove that she could show Regina what it meant to feel the true pleasure of intimacy.

“I don’t like being right,” she admitted. “What I really wanted you to say was ‘Shut up, Swan and kiss me’.”

Regina started at that, actually chuckling.  She pulled back and genuinely smiled.  “Shut up, Swan and kiss me...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter... the rating shall go up! No idea why ...


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating went up since we wanted to explore in greater detail how our leading ladies feel for one another, and this was the end result...

“Shut up, Swan and kiss me,” Regina said with a smirk.

If nothing else, the brunette was confident and capable of telling people what to do!  But, there was no malice in her tone. Instead, she sounded quite bemused at saying _that_ to Emma, and the smile in her voice reached her eyes, especially as Emma made good on her orders and kissed her soundly.  She wrapped her arms around the blonde’s neck, kissing her back enthusiastically, trembling at the feel of their breasts pressed together as hard as they held each other close.

With their passions rekindled swiftly, the savior was more than eager. She was equally demanding as she was needy with her mouth, wanting to make sure that there was no longer any doubt in Regina’s mind that she wanted to make love to her right now. Despite the reassurances from the woman in her arm’s, Emma couldn’t help being afraid that she was going to lose this. Lose _Regina_. Sure there was a sound case that Zelena just wanted her sister’s heart, but the fight tonight was going to be intense either way. What if there was an accident and she lost Regina forever after finally finding one another?

Moaning with that despairing reality, Emma took the brunette by the hips and lifted her off her feet, closing the scant distance left towards the bed.

Regina hummed sharply into the kiss when Emma lifted her up, surprised that she _could_.  She kissed even harder then, turned on the idea that Emma had that sort of strength. She trembled with anticipation as her bare back hit the sheet and broke the kiss, staring intently at the blonde as she played with her hair.

“I have _no_ idea how this works,” she admitted, blushing hotly.  Regina smiled, looking more like the fresh-faced, hopeful young woman she’d been before Daniel’s death. Affection in her tone, she asked,  “Teach me, Miss Swan?”   

Emma smiled tenderly, knowing how difficult it was for Regina to admit her ignorance in anything and that made her feel exceptional, being Regina’s first in so many ways. The trust that was given to her was a gift. A gift that had to be cherished and honored because it brought out so much beauty in Regina. The hardened mask that she wore was utterly stripped away, leaving a shy and devoted lover - yet was so calm in her embrace.

She kissed her softly then, murmuring against her lips. “Fortunately for you, I’m not the lecturing kind of gal.”

Regina chuckled softly, cupping Emma’s face in her hands.  “I’ve thought about this so many times, my dear…”

“So no pressure, huh?” she quipped jokingly, moving her mouth to kiss against the palm of the mayor’s hand.

“None at all,” Regina promised.  She smiled at Emma’s kiss, hardly able to believe this was really happening.  Her free hand slid over her neck and back, exploring her warm skin, as the savior smiled right back.

Without another word, she slipped out of the mayor’s hands and resumed her attentions, caressing Regina’s neck. Emma took her time in learning her, shifting her weight so she could explore untouched skin with her hands that lips hadn’t the pleasure of knowing yet. Patient fingers returned to caressing the curvature of a breast, while the savior slowly worked her mouth lower. She held back the desperation to brush her tongue along Regina’s nipples because she so wanted to feel them harden once more. But the savior slowed the pace even further than before, wanting the woman under her to feel safe and loved.  

It wasn’t easy for Regina to voice her pleasure as Emma’s hands and lips grazed her skin.  But knowing that Emma wanted to hear her, Regina allowed herself to react with very soft moans and gasps.  She _wanted_ the pleasure that Emma gifted her, and it was a _desire_ that she didn’t know existed prior.

“Regina…” the blonde groaned, fingers gripping the comforter in response to exactly what the mayor had presumed in Emma wanting to hear her. The kisses along her skin quickened, moving to the swell of the neglected breast.

The brunette groaned softly, her breath quickening.  She tilted her head up to take in the sight of Emma at her breasts and moaned then.  “Please....?” she asked timidly.

Regina watched as her lover flicked a tentative tongue across her nipple before encircling it, working the other soft flesh against the palm of her hand. Her head fell back and she moaned hotly.  Emma felt her own desire intensify with the moan that she coaxed from Regina’s mouth, making her join in. She cupped the breast she was focused on, engulfing the nipple inside her mouth, flicking her tongue hungrily on the hardening nub.

The mayor arched her back, pushing her flesh into Emma’s mouth and hand as she moaned again.  Desire radiated from her core, leaving her feeling wanton, but of course, Regina didn’t know how to relay that to Emma either.  She scissored her legs beneath the blonde, crying out at how _good_ Emma made her feel. Without realizing it, Regina had expressed her passions quite clearly, and the savior was feeding off of it.

Emma tore her mouth away, green eyes glowing with desire as she looked up at mayor. “God I want you …” The weight of Regina’s legs and feeling the heat of her covered center against her own abdomen was making the blonde delirious with need.

“Emma, _please_ …” Regina groaned, and the savior didn’t need to be told again.

She lightly pushed Regina’s legs off of her, needing far better access to give them both what they wanted. Hands slid down the mayor’s taut abdomen as Emma grazed her teeth along the waistband of black, lacy panties, and inhaled Regina’s scent for the first time. It made her eyes roll backwards, groaning with a frightful need to finally taste her. Losing the last traces of any pretense, Emma leaned back and finally stripped the mayor bare. She tossed the fabric aside so her hands could revisit warm skin, sliding up the brunette’s calves before curling against her knees, slowing spreading her legs apart.

Regina stared raptly at Emma, watching her every move, memorizing every second. This was about pleasure this time.  She wanted to say something to her, but Regina's brain short circuited with anticipation and need. Emma’s gaze softened when she finally cast her eyes upwards. Too riveted to the beautiful body revealed below her she hadn’t quite felt the full effects of the mayor’s eyes upon her. But she did now.

“You're beautiful,” she replied, hands caressing along inner thighs softly. “So beautiful …”

“Thank you, dear.  So are you…”  Regina blushed.  She leaned forward a little, running her fingers through Emma’s hair before cupping her cheek.  

“Have to disagree,” she voiced with a smile that reached her eyes. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I don’t even come close.”

Her blush intensified.  Talking during intimacy was unheard of in her experience and it only made her feelings for Emma burn hotter that her lover wanted to interact _with_ her.

Regina bit her lip, smiling. Teasing her a little because she thought it was safe to do so, she asked, “Oh, and have you seen so many women to make that quantified comparison, Miss Swan?”

“I’ve seen enough to know my statement still stands,” she answered truthfully, nipping playfully at Regina’s palm. “Or if you want, I could say you’re the most _beautiful fucking woman_ I’ve ever seen? Get that emphasis so there’s no mistake.”

“Such language,” she mock-scolded, grinning.  Then, Regina took a deep breath and looked serious.  “I’m… not… displeasing to you then…?”

Watching as the playfulness subsided with the way Regina regarded her, Emma’s voice lost its lighthearted tone and responded with deep sincerity. “Never.”

 _Alright.  It is that she wants to spend time with me and not just rut with me as the others did…_ Regina felt foolish for asking, but she had to know.  This was so unlike what she had experienced before.  She tugged Emma back up and kissed her hard, expressing her relief and fragile joy at her affection through the kiss. The blonde smiled, seeing where she was headed and moaned into the kiss as she settled between Regina’s legs comfortably. She could honestly do this all day - kissing Regina Mills. Not that the savior didn’t want to sate her needs by other pleasurable means, but the act of kissing tempered her own wounded soul and was more intimate for her than the mere physical act of sex. Intentions could be gleaned or hidden within a kiss, but there was nothing but love and want between them.

Regina moaned into the kiss, her pulse quickening immediately as their lips and tongues met.  With Emma between her legs, it was enough to make her feel absolutely crazy… and nothing had even _happened_ yet!  She didn’t know if she’d be able to take it, when Emma did finally make a move on her! And the savior wasn’t quite ready yet as she lost herself in the moment of lips and tongues and her own hands running down Regina’s thigh. She was on sensory overload, feeling their bodies pressed tightly together and moans intermingling. It was making her _want_ desperately all over again.  Regina slid a leg around Emma, tightening it against her backside to pull her even closer.  All of her hesitation and anxieties melted away with the sensual, intense kiss.  And while she didn’t know quite what this would be like, what had happened between them so far was more erotic and beautiful than anything she had ever known.

It was Emma’s turn, groaning hotly into the kiss, squeezing Regina’s thigh as the other woman really responded. The trepidation that was there on the outskirts of the mayor’s mind had finally disappeared and now that they were on the same page, it made the savior reel with a hunger that she had never felt before.

She abruptly broke the kiss, panting softly as she rocked atop her. “I need you, Regina,” Emma rasped out, her words thick with desire.

Quickly she squirmed her way lower, trailing hot, wet, kisses along her lover’s chest and taut abdomen with fervent need.  The former queen moaned and curled her fingers into the sheet beneath her as Emma’s kisses seared a trail down her body.   _She’s going to pleasure me with her mouth!_ Regina realized, and the thought of that thrilled her.  The idea of Emma’s blonde head between her legs made her groan her name hotly, urging her lower. Those encouraging moans were a beautiful piece of a song that reached Emma’s ears, but it was hearing her name groaned out like that that forced her eyes to roll into the back of her head. Regina so vocal with her pleasure pulsed a hard jolt of wanting that made the savior’s own clit throb with desire. She couldn’t wait to taste to her. Not anymore.

“Fuck, Regina,” she said almost muted, so entranced by her lover’s fragrance. Tufts of dark curls covering sensitive folds were already glistening with arousal that Emma squeezed the apex of Regina’s thighs. “Fuck …”

The savior was now at a loss for words, except for the foul language that Regina abhorred, and no longer could she endure the wait. Nestling her face before the mayor’s most intimate space, she licked a trail with the tip of her tongue from the base of her entrance all the way up to brush against her clit.

The woman who had never been permitted to make a sound in her marriage, then never wanted to in her strategic liaisons _howled_ with pleasure when Emma licked her.

Regina’s back arched high, thigh muscles clamping around the savior’s head.

“Again!” she gasped.  “Oh god, Emma, please - again!”

Emma _had_ to curl her tongue back inside her mouth to fully appreciate Regina’s musky flavor with a moan before diving back in for seconds. She repeatedly flicked her tongue through the mayor’s swollen folds with a heated groan, wanting to hear Regina’s demanding voice again.  The mayor cried out again, grinding slowly against Emma’s tongue, pleading with her for more, surprising _herself_ at needing to be so vocal at last.

Regina’s wanton cries compelled the savior to work through her faster and to up the ante. She spread her lover’s lips wide open, exposing that sensitive bundle of nerves to be assaulted by the tip of her tongue. Emma batted at her clit at a frantic pace while Regina rocked against her face.  And, for the first time in her life, Regina climaxed.  The brunette clenched, arching her back high off the bed as she screamed the savior’s name as the release swept her senses completely. Emma had to tighten her hold or risk being pried away - the last thing in this world she’d want to have happen. She scooted forward, strong arms keeping her fixed on the prize of prolonging Regina’s pleasure because that scream was the most powerful, concussive, sound to have ever hit her eardrums during the throes of passion.

And then, panting loudly, Regina collapsed against her bed.  She closed her eyes and slowly uncurled her fingers from the sheet as she trembled with the aftershocks of pleasure.  For the moment, Emma had literally shocked Regina into silence and the mayor was in no hurry to come back from that state!  Nestling into Regina’s folds, Emma lapped at the arousal coaxed from the intensity of the mayor’s climax. She was quite gentle, reverent even, in caressing her with her mouth.  With each touch, Regina’s body twitched.  She moaned softly and finally pulled herself upright, touching the side of Emma’s face, who looked up with a captivating smile.

“Em-ma… the savior… who’d bring back happy endings…” she whispered in awe, too strung out from her climax to censor her thoughts.  

The look on Regina’s face made it clear that she was thinking of how, ultimately, Emma’s arrival had changed _her_ life for the better.  Emma Swan had helped her _heal_ the rift that she and Henry had long had… she had gone a long way to even repairing the damage that existed between she and Snow White.  And now, she had taught Regina what it was to be pleasured and… loved.

“ _Emma_....” Regina breathed again, but then fell silent because the enormity of her feelings were too much to vocalize.  She didn’t even know what to say, or what she could say! “Dear Em-ma…”

“I … I don’t think I’ve ever heard _you_ say my name that many times in a day.” She pushed herself up and onto all fours, slowly bringing her lower half to straddle atop the mayor’s lap. Despite her playful tone, Emma’s eyes were thoughtful as they cupped Regina’s face. “A girl could get used to it,” she said, brushing their lips softly together as she felt strangely delirious that Regina, the former evil queen that had cursed everyone here to Storybrooke, now thought of her as the happy ending she had been yearning for.

“Is that so?” she whispered.

“Yeah.” Emma reached into dark hair, combing fingers through the short locks gently as her mind working hard to decipher if this fairytale ‘nonsense’, as she had been apt to believe, may actually give her something to hope for as well.

Regina smiled softly, feeling her heart pound fiercely in her chest.  Was this too much to hope for?  To believe possible?  That Emma really could be her happy ending?  She bit her lower lip, her mind racing through the last couple of years worth of interaction with the blonde who was touching her so tenderly.

She took a deep breath.  “Emma… I say this with utmost sincerity despite the fact that you may attribute it to post-coital bliss or even assume I’ve lost my mind.  I love you.  I am _in love_ with you.  And, with everything going on, I want you to know that right now.   _I_ _love you_ , Emma Swan.”

Immediately Emma wanted to retort with a ‘Or I fucked you so hard that you lost your mind’ because she couldn’t believe what Regina had just said! Eyes widened in shock. “You … you _love_ me?”

For as much as Emma wanted to have been loved her entire life, all of those instances had been taken away from her. From her parents giving her up, through the foster system, to being unlucky in love - she found it difficult to comprehend that she had a true chance at love. This was not a game for Regina, not after closing her heart off for decades to the possibility that she could find love again. It had taken this crisis to force the mayor into revealing her true feelings towards the savior, and she acknowledged that. But for Emma, to love meant to lose, and that brought her right back to the fight tonight. She didn’t want to lose Regina. Even with the small assurances that could be given in which the fight wouldn’t be to the death, it didn’t mean that the chance wasn’t still lurking!

“I do, Emma.  I love you.  And, I hope that when we’ve banished my sister to Oz or _wherever_ we can send her, you, Henry, and I can build a future.  Together,” she said seriously. Brown eyes that had once glared quite fiercely at Emma as she plotted against her now gazed at her with love and hope.  “I am trusting _you_ with my heart not only because you’re Storybrooke’s Savior but because I believe _you_ to be my true love.  And who better to put my faith in than you?”

First the declaration of love, and now believing she was her true love? Emma felt lightheaded and had to hold onto the mayor’s shoulders for support, fearing she would fall backwards. _Everything_ that she could have wished for was here in her arms. Having Regina meant a future with their son. And a place to call _home_.

“But how can you know that?” Quietly she asked this, her voice weak with the tumultuous emotions churning inside. “Being your true love?”

Emma believed in true love because she had been the power behind it when it saved her son. She and Henry had built a connection over the year when she first came to Storybrooke and had grown to love the son she had given away. It wasn't easy, opening her heart to the kid, but he had won her over, chipping away at her negativity and giving her hope. But romantic true love? Was that even possible for the so called savior?

Regina didn’t know how to answer that at first.  It was just an inherent _feeling_ as someone who’d grown up in the Enchanted Forest.  She wrapped her arms around Emma’s shoulders as she tried to frame her words in a way that her lover would understand.  In the end, she opted for simplicity and truth from the heart.

“Because _no one_ has ever made me feel the way you do.  Not even Daniel.  And… even if I am ‘just’ in love with you, that is magical enough for me,” she said with a smile.  “Speaking of which, I should give my heart to you now.  So we can see that this works and both have time to adjust before tonight.”

Regina thrust her hand into her own chest and took her heart in a light grip.  She yanked it out with force.  To her surprise and pleasure, it did grow more brightly than in Neverland, and completely missed the horrified look that Emma was shooting her way. Regina had taken her heart out of her body as if it were mere habit - like brushing teeth!

 _It was truly more than a year ago.  It just doesn’t feel that way_ , Regina reminded herself. _Sacrificing those I loved most to save everyone, and allowing myself to love Emma has really begun to heal my dark heart.  Here is visual proof._

Regina blinked and pulled herself out of her reverie, realizing that this sight and experience was not commonplace to Emma.  She smiled almost cheekily, holding her heart in both hands.

“My heart.  It’s not as dark as when I presented it to Tinkerbell when I dared her to kill me. This is a testament to how you and Henry have changed me for the better,” Regina said quietly.  “Em… I give you my heart for protection _because_ I love you.”

The organ magically pulsated with each beat in Regina's hand and although what she had said was true, it was still marred by a significant amount of swirling black tendrils. Emma had nothing to compare to but believed that what she was seeing was a heart on the mend. She did always know, after all,when Regina was telling the truth and this was no different.

Now the savior was coming to terms with tonight's reality and this crazy plan that they were going to embark on together. Emma couldn't tear her eyes away from the gift that was being entrusted to her and was unable to take it just yet. She covered Regina's hands underneath and felt an insurmountable pressure adhering to her own heart. "I haven't even told you that I loved you back."

That had halted her hands from promptly taking the heart because if Regina loved her _that_ much before Emma admitted the same, was storing it inside her going to work if there wasn't an emotional balance between them?

The hope in her eyes faded as Regina digested what Emma just said.   _Of course, she doesn’t.  Emma doesn’t love me back.  How could she?  I’m a monster.  I’ve long been a monster.  I’m the one responsible for separating her from her parents, because of the curse… it was my curse that gave Emma the hard life she’s had in this wretched world.  She doesn’t love me.  She pities me and only wanted to protect me for Henry’s sake.  This… this intimacy… it was all physical on her side.  I’m such a damn fool._

“I know you haven’t,” Regina said with a shuddering sigh.

 _I should crush it myself.  I could ruin Zelena’s plans and it would free Emma and Henry to leave Storybooke like she wants,_ she thought as the earlier bliss was replaced by despair.   _Why go on when my true love can’t love me back?_

Pursing her lips, the mayor reigned in her emotions and watched curiously as the brightness to her heartbeat faded to a duller shade of red.  She swallowed hard.

“You don’t have to say anything, Emma.  You’d don’t have to feel anything for me, besides physical attraction.  It’s been unfair of me to put all of this on you.  I have absolutely no right.  Forgive me my foolishness.  I’m just emotional from the stress of everything happening, and apologize for pressuring you.”

Emma's throat clenched painfully with the shameful knowledge of how carelessly she wounded Regina just then. Her uncertainty had been misinterpreted and the mayor had ran with it to the most disastrous outcome. Her hands gripped Regina's hands tightly, unaware of how the color shifted from the heart she helped cradle.

_God I feel like shit. Look what I did to her. She opened up her soul to me and look what happened! I made her retreat into that shell she made over the years because I couldn't say I was awed by her. She trusted me so much in giving me her heart and without me saying I loved her back yet. And she thinks we're true love?! What if we're not? I mean, I don't know if that can happen for me. I’m just … scared._

"Regina, _please_. Don't do this," she urged. "I'm the one that's sorry. I suck at expressing myself when it comes to ... to _this._ Being ... _open_ to the people I care about. I don't know how to love very easy at all. Just like you."

She dropped a hand free to caress her lover's cheek with a pleading look.

"Please believe me that I feel _no_ pressure in any of this. That this isn't just some insignificant physical want. It’s _so_ much more than that. I'm here because I _want_ to be here. Hell, Regina. I've been pushing to be with you since the park. I _want_ to keep you safe. I _want_ to protect your heart in _every_ sense. I'm just ...well, I was just dumbstruck that you gave me your heart like this without me saying that I loved you back first."

_There. That wasn't so hard. I said what I had wanted to say..._

But that wasn't going to be enough for Regina and in truth, not even for Emma who closed her eyes and steeled herself. "It's just that ... " she grimaced, feeling foolish for her own insecurities. "I honestly don't know if this’ll work. Me storing your heart. What if the love I do have for you isn't enough to keep it safe?"

Regina looked miserable and afraid.  “Then, we are back where we started, Emma.  I face Zelena alone tonight where she’ll defeat me.  She’ll take my heart, enact whatever curse she has planned, and we’re doomed. I was right with what I’d said before: you should take Henry and _leave_ this place.”

“No, god damn it! We’re not!” she cried out. “I just told you I love you! I’m just fucking scared what it means to be true loves. Or … or if that’s even fucking possible for _me_!” Emma visibly struggled, dropping her hand from Regina's face as her voice had become desperate. She suddenly felt unworthy of having this woman's love because it was clear she was only making things worse by hurting her with doubts.

Regina couldn’t believe this.  She had finally made her own choice, had no domineering mother to come and ruin it, and she _still_ couldn’t get this right!  Her heart flared as she growled, anger and impatience clear on her face.

“We are _both_ idiots.  Do you realize this?!  Who _cares_ if we are true loves or not!  This isn’t the Enchanted Forest.  This is Storybrooke.  In _Maine_ ,” she snapped, a laugh nearly bubbling out of her while she ranted.  For a moment, Regina actually sounded like Henry as passionate as she became.  “All that matters is that I love you.  And you love me.  And we can use _magic_ to our advantage because it exists here.  Forget everything else.  We _love_ each other at long last.  And we _can_ defeat my sister.  We just have to _believe_.”

Emma was silenced by Regina's rapidly shifting emotions. She had just called _both_ of them idiots and was determined to make the savior understand that she needed to have faith in them. That they could do this together.

_Which is so messed up because it was me doing that for her not that long ago._

She laughed at herself, casting her gaze away from Regina's. "I _really_ am a fucking fool. I just got too caught up in all the fairytale tropes that I had forgotten what I had just told you. And you had to remind me."  

Shaking her head in amazement, Emma brought her head back up and smiled.

"You're right. We _can_ do this."  But her expression softened as she lean forward, pressing their foreheads together. "I'm sorry that I got all doom and gloom. And to be perfectly clear right now? I _do_ love you, Regina."

“I love you too.  But I may have to wash your mouth out with soap, Miss Swan.  Our son will tell you that I am most serious with that threat too,” she said with a knowing smirk while Emma laughed.  Regina grew serious again, gazing thoughtfully at her heart.  “You _will_ be able to protect my heart.  And me.  I have faith in you, dear.”

Hesitantly she brought her hand up to finally touch the magically imbued heart and focused on what she believed - that she was in love with Regina and the woman she loved had faith in her.

 _I was sure I could do this. The stakes just got higher with my feelings involved but it doesn’t change how adamant I was. Long as this … No. Fuck it. This_ is _going to work. Me and Henry aren’t losing her. It’s … Huh?_

She lost her train of thought as Regina’s heart began to pulse brighter than before. “Did …did it just …?” she whispered, looking towards the brunette to confirm she wasn’t seeing things.

“See?  You do have a positive effect on my heart and me,” Regina said with a smile.

It felt strange to have Emma’s hands on such an intimately _vital_ part of her anatomy.  It was an intimacy even more unique than what had passed between them, along the lines of what it felt like to make magic with the savior.  Regina glanced at her heart, then removed her hands so Emma was the only one holding it.

Daunted, Emma quickly brought the other hand underneath it to firmly cup Regina’s heart, truly believing that she may accidentally drop it! She soon clutched it to her chest, this delicate treasure whose power she could feel radiating, soaking through the pores of her skin, and up her arms. It was a familiar sensation that Emma had  felt when the two of them performed magic together - the intermingling of emotional drive that amplified what they wanted to accomplish. Driven by fear or the love of their son, Emma immediately recognized the magical facet that was distinctly Regina’s imprint when the energy finally touched her own heart.

“Holy shit, Regina …” Emma blinked back tears because it was so magnificent to feel how profoundly the mayor loved her, and she hadn’t even placed it within her own chest yet.

Regina blushed and curled her legs up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her shins.  It was beautiful to watch Emma begin to really _understand_ her feelings.  

“You are the _only_ one who has been able to see me as Regina since I’d started using dark magic,” she said quietly.  “You protected me from the town and the wraith when everyone else would have left me for dead.  I know Henry factored into your decisions, but… still.  I was _terrible_ to you and yet _you_ could see value in me, or a glimmer of goodness.  I love you, Emma.  For so many reasons.  And I’m glad you can _feel_ that now.”

Emma’s lower lip quivered slightly, unable to reply with something meaningful during the barrage of their emotions fusing together within her own heart. Little did the savior know that at some point when Regina was speaking, their hearts had aligned, beating together as one.

A lone tear broke free, skipping off her cheek and away. “Henry was the reason for some time, yes. But when I knew you were going to die? The trigger? That wasn’t me saving you for our son. I wanted to save you because _I_ didn’t want _you_ to die.”

Regina loosened her position so she could reach out to cup Emma’s face with one hand.  She rubbed her thumb over the other woman’s cheek, staring at her intently.  “Thank you, dear.  And that’s why I know you’ll keep me safe yet again, with the ordeal we have before us.”

Leaning into Regina’s hand was becoming a fast habit now, but it gave Emma immediate comfort since the first moment she did it. She felt safe, doubly so as Regina stared at her and touched her cheek gently. No longer overwhelmed, her expression fell into a mask of stark determination, clutching Regina’s heart even tighter. “Tell me what I have to do.”

“Ooo.  Ease your grip for starters, Hercules.  I can _feel_ that,” she said gently.  

Regina knew that Emma didn’t understand the mechanics or the details of enchanted hearts or she wouldn’t have put so much pressure.  Uncomfortably, she was reminded of crushing Graham’s heart while _knowing_ that he was with Emma at the time.  She sighed inwardly.

“It might be easier if I placed it in your chest, since I have more experience,” Regina went on.  “A little less stressful, hm?”   

Green eyes widened in terror and immediately loosened her grip upon the heart. “Fuck, Regina! I’m _so_ sorry!” Looks her over hurriedly to see if she had caused any unwanted harm from her idiotic ineptitude. “Are you okay?!”

“Emma… I’m fine. Truly.”  She held out her hand.  “May I?”

Breathing a sigh of relief that her lover was really fine, Emma nodded. “Yeah. Of course.” She slowly and gently used both hands to hold the heart out for Regina to take. “Here.”

Regina regarded her seriously once more.  “At least you’ve already had a hand thrust into your chest before and know what to expect.  I will be more gentle than Mother was.  I promise.”

She made good on that, pulling Emma close with her free hand so she could press their lips together.  As she kissed her, Regina carefully thrust the hand holding her heart into the savior’s chest and settled it there beside Emma’s.      When the mayor had done this, Emma had seized her shoulders in a vice grip, kissing her back harder with a sharp moan. _Now_ she immediately felt both hearts beat in perfect harmony, even with the darkness abiding in the background that wanted to inflict damage on the love that Regina finally accepted into her life. It couldn’t cast its despairing shadow over the power of that love right now, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t come to the forefront in the future.

Saying a silent prayer that her darkness did not taint her lover, she withdrew her hand and leaned back to look at her.  “Are you alright, dear?”

“Am I alright?” she repeated hoarsely, and then repeated. “Am _I_ alright?” The savior’s eyes sparkled with yearning as she immediately brought their mouths together in a hard kiss as answer. She was on a high, feeling incredibly invincible right now as all doubt was cast out of her mind; the two of them were definitely going to find a way to defeat Zelena and secure _their_ happy ending.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small interlude before the big fight ...

What Archie noticed first about Henry was how much he’d grown into being a young man in the last year.  Much taller and his voice had changed; it fluctuated a little as all teen boys did, but it was much deeper than Archie remembered.  He even carried himself with more confidence than before.  Clearly, life in New York had been good for him.

 _I won’t analyze how a life without fairy tales and magic seemed to make him a better young man,_ Archie thought.   _I learned all about the price of magic in my own youth…_

“Seems Pongo walks with you like he’s known you for a long time,” Archie remarked, a smile in his voice as they crossed the street and passed by Storybrooke Bakery.  He gave a wave to the baker who always gave Pongo end of day breadsticks as treats.  She waved back.

“Yeah it seems that way. I really don’t have to do much. Pongo’s doing it all.” Henry was quite taken with the affectionate dalmatian. Pongo trotted along happily with a wagging tail, often looking back to make sure that both of his walking companions were enjoying themselves too.

“He’s a good dog.  Smart, too!” Archie said with a grin.  “And… it’s probably more comfortable to be out letting him walk us than hanging around the diner, huh?”

The young man smiled in agreement. “Yes it is. I’m glad my mom agreed to this.” It also reminded him of the time he went for a stroll with Mayor Mills - talking and having ice cream, trying to make sense of this town and his mother’s purpose here. He had felt comfortable with her and now with Dr. Hopper. “I’ll admit it’s hard being in a room full of people that my mom really knows well. Who also knew my father but …” His voice grew grim. “... I know nothing about them ... or him.”

Archie was fortunate that he’d learned so much about Henry through his sessions years ago, and had pieced more together from conversations with Emma after she’d come to Storybrooke.  It made this so much easier where he felt his conscience wouldn’t eat him for lying to his young friend.

“Well… your mother already told you some about their past.  For instance, why you grew up with her rather than both parents.”  He referred to Emma’s stint in jail, of course.  “Your parents were young when they met… and sometimes, that can make a relationship tough to deal with.  Your father was the ‘odd jobs’ sort of guy, you could say.  And, your mother… well, she’s always been the type to pull herself up by the bootstraps and survive.  But, you know that about her, don’t you?”

Henry smirked quite knowingly. “Yes. She’s done whatever was necessary to make sure we had a good life. Nothing gets her down.”

But then he sighed, casting his gaze down at their shadows as they walked. “But being here gets her down. And not just because of my father. I know she didn’t want to come here but that Killian guy convinced her to. A guy dressed like _that_ of all things. It really makes no sense.”

Archie couldn’t help but smirk at Henry’s assessment.  But, his expression sobered.  “Sometimes, it’s hard to come back home after you’ve been away.  Not that… not that Emma necessarily calls Storybrooke home.  I mean… well, it’s just that there’s a lot of history for her.  As you’ve probably noticed, Henry.”  He paused.  “Do _you_ like it here?”

“Yeah. I definitely get there’s a lot that happened around here with my mom. Stuff she hasn’t told me about yet. And everyone acts all weird around me, but they’re nice too. It’s just…” he shrugged, tugging on Pongo’s leash accidentally. The spotted pooch glanced back, ears up with a curious look as Henry glanced off into the distance. “I don’t know. It’s just _weird_. Being here. It’s nice and all but it’s not home.”

Archie nodded and actually smiled at that.  “Storybrooke _is_ a little weird, isn’t it?  I mean… I can’t imagine living anywhere else now, but it has its small-town quirks for sure.”

Their path turned, taking them in the direction of Mifflin Street and he made no move to change course.  It was clear that Henry didn’t remember the town anyway, so there was no harm walking past his old home with Regina.  It was strange to interact with a Henry Mills who had no obvious sense of imagination or wonder for magic.  Archie knew they were keeping him deliberately in the dark since he had no memories, but still.  It was peculiar to experience first hand.

“I’ve never been to a city as big as New York myself.  Is it as busy as they say?”

“Busier. I think no one really thinks it’s going to be that busy until they visit. There’s _always_ people walking around. Seriously. _Always!_ And the traffic. Can’t escape it. But just like all big cities, you can always find awesome things to do _and_ eat.” He smiled wistfully. “I really miss the hot dogs there. Even if mom doesn’t let me have them as often as I want.”

Thinking of how strict Regina had been about Henry’s diet, his interests, and _everything else_ , the fact that Emma gave him limits too made Archie smile.  But, he wondered what was going to happen when this threat from the Wicked Witch was settled.  Would Henry remember Storybrooke and his life here?  Or, would they go back to New York since the mayor’s magic had clearly given them such a good life away from Henry’s hometown?  Would Regina allow that?!

“It sounds nice,” Archie said, meaning it.  “Busier than I think I could handle… but I’m a small-town kind of guy.”

“Obviously,” Henry said, looking rather impish - much like Regina. “You live here after all.”

He tipped an imaginary hat and laughed.  “Absolutely right.  So, besides hot dogs, what do you most look forward to when you go back home?”

That coaxed a chuckled out of him before Henry took on a pensive look. “Getting back to our routine. I miss it. Having breakfast together, walking me to my bus stop, coming home and talking about what happened all day. Just …”

He found it difficult to articulate his feelings just then because it wasn’t something that he had ever shared with Emma. As perfect as their life was together, Henry couldn’t shake the feeling _something_ was missing. Perhaps that void could have been Walsh, but if his mother was sure about him, she would have given him an answer to his proposal before leaving New York. That was just how his mom worked.

Archie filled the silence with the obvious prompt.  “Just…?”

“... just everything _is_ awesome but something’s missing. It’s great being _us_ but sometimes I wonder if it’s enough for mom.” He casually looked around, eyes glancing towards the mansion they walked past without any indication that he actually had a room waiting inside there for him. “She says I am, but even I know that can’t _always_ be enough.”

He narrowed his focus back onto Archie. “Was my mom ever happy here? I mean, from what I can piece together, she was here for awhile. So there had to be something good to make her stay before my father entered the picture. But then I can also tell mom’s unhappy now. She’s so ...distant when we talk. I think she feels that’s partially to blame because she couldn’t be upfront as to _why_ we were really here. That’s true to a point and I get it, but I’m also worried about her too. She’s just … really _off._ ”

 _There’s the Henry I know… always able to see into the hearts of others.  What did they call him in Neverland?  The truest believer._  

Archie tried to figure out how best to answer Henry’s questions about Emma and her relationship with Storybrooke.  This wasn’t going to be easy, but he resolved to tell the truth as best he could.

“I think she was, Henry.  She’d made good friends with Mary Margaret and David  She had a good relationship with a lot of people in town,” he replied.  “At first, she and the mayor didn’t get along too well… I’m sure you can see that their personalities are a bit different.  But, it seemed like they had become friends when your mom left town.”

 _Honestly, it seemed like they were more than friends_ , Archie mused, remembering being at the town line with everyone, _and all the better if they were.  For them as well as for Henry._

Folding his lips inward, Henry digested this information. He could see that his mom was once close to Mary Margaret and the Sheriff by the way they interacted. The familiarity was there between them in the way they talked and how the couple were always looking out for Emma in little ways - especially David. He would always offer to accompanying his mother everywhere, even when she insisted it was unnecessary. He was always apt to ask ‘Are you sure?’ after every request of his. The Sheriff was very doting, but Henry didn’t feel the same warmth towards Mary Margaret. There was some tension there with her and his mom and he had no idea what it could stem from, since the school teacher had quite the friendly and honest attitude. Just he noticed Emma’s quick, precise matter of fact tone when speaking to her compared to the reluctant patience towards David.

Which then brought his thoughts to his mother and Mayor Mills. There was definite tension there too, but was it a current issue because of the job or a by-product of the past? Despite Dr. Hopper’s assurances of their friendship, it was hard to say. His mother was not an easy person to befriend or earn her trust. He got a feeling that Regina had a similar personality despite how warm she was towards him. It made him think back on their conversation at the park. Specifically one part of it that had stuck out which made him question the friendship Dr. Hopper proposed the mayor had with Emma. He dismissed it at the time, but Henry could’ve sworn that it wasn’t just surprise he heard in the mayor’s voice when he explained Emma’s boyfriend had proposed. He thought there had been a trace of anger there as well. Why would she be upset that Emma’s relationship with Walsh was that serious? He filed that thought away for the time being.

“I kind of got the impression my mom left town because of my dad.” His gaze was thoughtful because he had believed the conversation would have steered towards Neal Cassidy at some point. But they hadn’t touched the topic at all either out of respect of Henry’s feelings, wanting him to bring it up, or perhaps, and more likely, he was missing another part of the story. “But you haven’t mentioned him yet.”

Again, Henry’s insightful nature made Archie smile.  Even if time felt like they’d only been separated for a few weeks, given the lost year, he realized how much he missed talking with Henry Mills.

“Well… I didn’t know your father as well.  I had more interaction with your mom,” he replied because that was the absolute truth.  “From what I do know… your dad did love your mom a lot.  But, I think your dad hadn’t been back in town for too long before the situation that brought you and Emma back.”

 _Forgive me!_ Archie thought.   _But it is sort of true!  We all just came back to Storybrooke ourselves.  I think?!_

That made sense. It sounded like the situation here progressed exponentially fast with how quickly Emma packed up and brought them here. “The situation? You mean the person that killed my father,” he said bluntly.

“Yes.”  Archie nodded, his expression truly sad.  “Yes, that situation.”

“Mom will find them. She always does,” Henry said confidently. “Then we can go home.” With a sigh, he glanced up at Dr. Hopper, looking for reassurances. “I think it’ll be the best thing for mom and me - when we can get back to our lives after everything’s done.”

Archie reached out and rested a hand on Henry’s shoulder.  Thinking of the hope he held onto that defeating the Wicked Witch was key to everyone regaining their memories of the last year, including Henry’s memories, he nodded.  

He was thinking of Storybrooke as Henry’s home and everything _here_ settling down as he replied.

“I think so too, Henry.  We all need time to heal and feel like we’re home,” he said as Henry gave him an appreciative smile.

“Yeah. We really do,” said the young man, recollecting a lot of places that were home before settling in New York. He really hope that would continue to be the case once Emma was done here, but Henry couldn’t shake the feeling that it wouldn’t be so simple. Pongo sensed his discomfort and stopped walking, waiting for Henry to catch up to nuzzle against the young man’s leg.

Archie paused beside them, thinking furiously about how to cheer Henry up.  A smile crossed the therapist’s lips when an idea struck him.  “Henry, I noticed you have a handheld video game… any interest in visiting the arcade for some ‘old fashioned’ games?  I promise they’re _almost_ as fun because they’re simple and corny.”

He patted Pongo absently on the head and really gave the older man’s suggestion serious thought. Truthfully, what else was there to do besides go back to the diner and be bored and uncomfortable? Going to the arcade could end up being a fun distraction. “Maybe simple and corny’s just what I need.” He nodded, looking down at Pongo. “All right, but what about him? I don’t want to leave him outside tied up. That’s not fair.”

“What do you think, Pongo?” Archie asked.

The dalmatian barked emphatically.

“That’s Pongo-speak for a trip back home for him followed by our going to the arcade sounds like a plan.  If that’s alright with you,” he said to Henry.

“Well, if you’re sure,” he said, addressing their four legged companion who barked once more, even louder this time! “Okay! I guess we’re going!” Henry laughed, his mood clearly uplifted from this small act of normalcy he had been craving.

Clapping him on the back with a laugh, the duo plus dog set off toward Archie’s modest house.  He knew that Henry would blow him away at the “classic” games since they were still strange to him, truly, but that was alright.  He was just glad to lift Henry’s spirits.

* * *

 Unlike her mother, Regina had never gone without her heart for any prolonged time.   This was a strange new sensation to still _feel_ but also feel a little removed from the strongest of her emotions.  Regina realized that while she’d have the surprise factor to her favor, she would have to draw on how she knew she felt normally in order to pull this off.  Having Emma at her side as she prepared for the night’s battle helped immensely.  So did knowing her end goal of having Henry regain his memories.

She faced the bedroom mirror, applying lipstick, and watching Emma behind her in the reflection.  She arched an eyebrow and smirked.  “You think I’m out of my mind by primping, don’t you?”

Emma was too caught up inside her own head to have really noticed Regina talking to her, even if it by appearances she seemed to be watching the other woman intently. She was still acutely aware of the danger her lover was soon to face, but this was a period of adjustment for the blonde as well. The heart she had sworn to protect was still beating in harmony with her own, a curious fact that Emma had learned when resting a hand atop her chest while dressing. She hadn’t brought it up to Regina, not believing it important just yet.

 _can two hearts beating together be a bad thing anyway? It’s just has to be a sign that what we have is_ right. _That I’ve really begun accepting all of this with her. Especially feeling Regina’s love for me._

But underneath that love was the brutal essence of the woman once known as the evil queen. Those emotions still churned; the potent rage and mistrust towards the savior’s love was present and waiting for the inevitable heartbreak that could only come of this. That was all this heart _had_ known, despite the one that beat with fierce determination to ensure that not only would Regina’s heart would be safe from Zelena, but it would always love this woman for as long as she lived.

“Well, I need to _feel_ prepared,” Regina went on when Emma didn’t comment.  “This is my armor in the same sense as soldiers going into battle.”

She eyed herself critically in the mirror.  Black heels with dress pants.  A black knit shirt.   _Very nearly the evil queen, minus the cleavage?_ Regina asked herself.   _Hmm_.  She moved back to the closet and selected a multi-colored silk scarf, situating it around her neck to make the distinction between past and present.

She went back to the mirror and touched up her hair one more time.  With a long black coat downstairs, Regina nodded to herself and looked to Emma.  “I’m ready, dear.”

Emma finally _looked_ at the former evil queen, wondering when she had finished getting ready! She kept that confusion out of her voice and nodded grimly. “Right.”

Regina took both of Emma’s hands in hers.  “You should get going.  Make sure Henry is okay and safe.  Promise me that you won’t engage my damned sister, Emma.  Please?”

Henry had been texted long ago by Emma, ensuring her son that she was all right. That prompted an immediate phone call from him, wanting to talk about how much fun he had with Dr. Hopper and if he could do it again sometime. Of course neither parent had issues with that! It also gave ample enough reason to keep Hook at bay since Archie and her parents would now be the ones monopolizing Henry’s time. This was much better than having to wonder about a jealous Regina towards Hok and how _that_ would affect Emma’s own emotional state. She had briefly wondered if the mayor’s emotions were dulled because she carried her heart, would that mean Emma might feel the full brunt of them during peak emotional states? As good of a question as that was, there really wasn’t enough time to ask it. Regina needed to remain focus on the upcoming battle and not worry how Emma was feeling.

“I promise,” she said with great reluctance. “You know I will to protect our son. But … I’m honestly not sure how I can just… just _stand_ there if you get hurt. I know I have to, but … hell Regina.” She pulled her closer, looking desperate. “I don’t know how to just _watch_ the woman I love fight for her life because of the god damn greater good and just be _fine_ with it…”

Regina smiled, eyes shining with tears to hear such earnest honesty from Emma.  She looped her arms around her and kissed the corner of her mouth.  

“I’ll be fine.  Because you’re keeping my heart safe and sound.  The battle with her is important, but its also theater.  Zelena thinks she can call the shots here.  But, we’re going to turn the tables on her.  Just remember that.”

Frowning despite the reassurances, Emma managed to find a silver lining. “I guess with my reactions being legit, we won’t have to worry about her thinking I’m faking it. Being _theater_ and all,” she said with disdain.

Regina hugged her hard and whispered to her.  “I love you.  And I know promises make you uncomfortable, but I promise to come through this.  I may not be victorious, but I will come through whatever Zelena throws at me.  Now, you’d best be going, my dear.  We can’t show up there together.”

She didn’t want Regina leaving her embrace. Being hugged so fiercely made it feel possible for the savior to believe every word the woman in her arms said and clung back just as fiercely. “I know. Just … give me a minute?” she asked in a small voice that Regina would be hard pressed in remembering having heard.

The mayor made a soft noise in her throat and held Emma tight, still marveling over the fact that she _was_ holding the savior like this.  That this was _real_.  And it was that _passion_ in which Regina fully embraced that imbued the savior with profound confidence that Emma pulled them apart, green eyes steeled with a zeal that had crossed the mayor’s face numerous times.

“You’re right. You will. You always find a way to win,” she stated, her composure returned as she cupped Regina’s face with both hands. “I love you too.”

She smiled back at Emma, feeling confidence settle on her shoulders like a shawl.  The brunette kissed her gently and briefly, then pulled back.  “Let’s go.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Show down on Main Street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has some lines/scenes from the episode but there are differences. One big one, in fact, at the end.
> 
> Also I have a tumblr that I will post to for mainly fanfiction promotion. I'm new and bad at it, so be kind ;)
> 
> http://neysaadept.tumblr.com/

Emma had returned to the apartment to check in with Henry, and he was even more enthusiastic about sharing his day in person. It gave the savior something to distract her mind instead of the impending showdown ahead this night. Once Henry was up in the loft, the rest of her time was monopolized in convincing one of the most persistent, stubborn women she knew that she was _wrong_. Mary Margaret wanted to accompany her and David to the fight tonight - an asinine request!  Both of them had flat out said no, in unison no less, which only escalated the issue. But it was a matter of obvious safety! The pregnant woman that Zelena was after shouldn’t be allowed to come along and play spectator! Harmed or flat out kidnapped, the Charming family would really live up to the idiot nickname that Regina had labeled them with if Mary Margaret was there.

Staying at home with Henry to watch over him, along with Archie for company, had become the compromise. Mainly because neither Emma nor David believed the woman would keep her promise and stay put, so, they got a babysitter. They just didn’t explain it that way of course. Archie would be stopping by for moral support as the Sheriff and Henry’s mother continued the search for Neal’s killer. How would it make any sense for the very pregnant woman to come along for a man hunt? She conceded with palpable animosity towards her family - who had quickly retreated for the door when the psychologist arrived...

Finally making it to Main Street, Emma focused on locating Regina, but it appeared they had arrived before her. Did something happen or was Regina waiting to make her entrance? She did  remember her saying specifically that exits and entrances were her trade mark magical thing.

_I just have to keep thinking that’s the reason she isn’t here yet. I mean, if something happened to her, I would feel it. … Right?_ It was a presumption that Emma would just have to believe in. And she did believe in Regina.  It didn’t mean she couldn’t ask if anyone saw her though.

“Hey Ruby,” she said, approaching the waitress. “Any sign of Regina?”

“Not yet, Emma. And honestly?” she glanced at the assembled crowd and dropped her voice. “Natives are getting restless and wondering if Regina’s gonna show up. And we all know what’ll happen if she doesn’t.”

The savior looked completely mystified. “Of course she’s going to show up. She never backs down from a fight. Everyone here should _know_ that.”

Perhaps she was a bit more spirited in defending her lover’s absence, but the town was used to the savior safeguarding them all and giving them hope - and it didn’t hurt that everyone was anxiously awaiting Zelena’s arrival as well to notice any subtle changes.

Tinkerbell gave Emma a questioning look.  “Since when are you two best buddies that you’re riding to her defense?”

“Coming to her defense isn’t anything new,” she snapped back, still not at all comfortable calling the spitfire blonde Tinkerbell, or Tink. Out of everything she saw and everyone she had met, meeting an iconic Disney character wanting to kill Regina in the middle of Neverland was just over the top crazy! Only scenario that could top it is if Mickey Mouse ended up being real too. Nameless green fairy worked out better in her head. “And you haven’t been here that long to make any judgements, wingless wonder.”

_Okay where the hell did_ that _come from?!_ She wasn’t that upset at the intruding question, but Emma had felt an underlying need to put Tinkerbell in her place.

David looked around at the townspeople.  “We need to get people out of here.  This isn’t safe.”

Zelena strode forward, brushing past Mr. Clark.  “No one’s going anywhere.  Out of the way, munchkin.”

“I’m a dwarf.”

She rolled her eyes.  “That’s even worse.   So, she’s not even here.  A coward?  If Regina’s not here in five minutes, I’ll let the Dark One off his leash to _take care of you all._ ”

“No, you won’t,” the savior said, snapping out of her confusion as she brushed past David. “I’m not going to let you hurt anyone because Regina _will_ show up, and kick your sorry ass all the way back to Oz.”

“You two are so adorable!” Zelena mocked.  She turned to Gold.  “Nevermind the five minutes.  Which of these pathetic denizens do you want to kill first, my pet?”

“You know what’s adorable?” Emma’s green orbs twinkled with mischief before cracking her fist across Zelena’s face. “That!”

She knew Regina would be mad at her for doing this, but she had to do something to distract the witch before Gold was unleashed on someone!

Zelena licked her lips, her eyes taking on a dangerous glint.  “Amateur.”

The witch pushed the savior hard with her magic, throwing her back to her friends.  Then, she did a slow pirouette, challenging the rest of the townspeople with her glare and arrogance.

_Emma, you idiot!_ Regina thought.   _I told you to stay out of this!  Dammit!_

There had been the brief, fleeting hope that Emma could stand up to Zelena effectively given her “savior status” in Storybrooke.  Relieved that her lover did not appear seriously injured, Regina recognized the fact that this battle was all on her and stepped toward the crowd.

“Anybody else wanna give it a go?” Zelena asked, sneering at the crowd.

“I do,” Regina replied, striding forward.  She gestured at Zelena’s attire, looking and sounding more arrogant about this than she really felt.  “Didn’t anyone tell you?  Black is _my_ color.”

Conscious of the townspeople giving them a respectful space on the street, Regina zeroed in completely on her sister as she spoke.  They barbed back and forth as if this was actual sibling rivalry; Regina found it ridiculous.  

She couldn’t help but snap, “What the hell did I ever do to you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Zelena chided.  “You were _born._ ”

The mayor glanced at Gold, who stood in his tattered suit, looking pathetic.  She smirked in order to hide the smile that threatened to cross her lips.

“He should’ve chosen me,” the witch said, seeing what had Regina’s attention.

“Who?” Regina asked.  

“Rumpelstiltskin.”

Regina rolled her eyes, incredulous.  “That’s what this is about?  You’re _jealous_ of _me_?”

_She’s delusional.  Who would envy my life?  Does she have any idea what I’ve been through?  What I’ve lost?  What I’ve_ done _?_

Grabbing onto it with her magic - relieved to find it worked well without her heart - Regina hurled one of the traffic lights at her sister.  The witch, however, only redirected it as if it were nothing while she prattled on and on about how she didn’t realize what she’d had, how Regina didn’t _deserve_ the life she had.  Townies jumped out of harm’s way.

_Yes, because my life has been_ so _wonderful_ , Regina thought to herself.

Zelena’s words were the diversion, however, and the mayor fell for them.  Zelena lifted Regina up with magic and hurled her backward, throwing her onto the nearest car.  The mayor had just barely enough reaction time to buffer her impact.  It hurt the car worse than it did her.  She rolled off the hood, conscious of Emma’s worried gaze, but could not look to her.  As it was, Emma would feel the terror in her soul that ran true while she presented an outwardly arrogant and defiant face to Zelena.

Regina ignited a fireball.  And just as quickly, Zelena extinguished it and grabbed her, magically, by the throat.  The mayor heard gasps of surprise from around her; for so long, they’d known she and Rumple to be the most powerful beings around.  This had to be frightening, for them, to see her bested.  Regina understood.  She wasn’t so fond of the realization herself.

She tried not to gasp for breath, not wanting to give Zelena the satisfaction.

“You can’t beat me, little sis.  Everything Rumpelstiltskin taught you, he taught me too.  But I was the better student.”

_I’m seeing that_ , Regina thought.   _And he just stands there.  Fool.  Helpless without his damned dagger._

Zelena threw Regina up and across the street.  The former evil queen braced again for impact and her magical barrier shattered the clock’s face rather than her own body.  It was a rough landing, nearly knocking the wind from her as she crashed against the catwalk.

She stared hatefully into Zelena’s blue eyes as the witch appeared in front of her.  Only because Emma was out of earshot did she say what she said:  “So what are you waiting for?  Kill me.”

Zelena just smirked.  “I never said I wanted to kill you.  I said I wanted to _destroy_ you.  And to do that, I need your heart.”

_A-ha_.  

Hand thrust into her chest, Regina watched with dark satisfaction as her sister realized that she’d failed.  For all this bravado and battle, Regina and Emma had predicted what was happening accurately and had the jump on _her_ for once.

“Where is it?!” Zelena screamed.

Regina looked every inch the Evil Queen as she replied, “Our mother taught me one thing: never bring your heart to a witch fight.  Something _you’d_ know if she hadn’t abandoned you.”

She shoved the startled redhead out of her space.

“You haven’t won, Regina,” Zelena growled.  “I will get your heart.  I will get everything you ever had.”

_You’re insane_ , she thought.   _You don’t want everything I ever had._

“Not today,” Regina replied with a dark smile.

Zelena sneered, summoned her broom, and flew off.  Regina rubbed her throat and sat up straighter, taking an inventory of any potential injuries she’d sustained.  Everything felt alright; she thought her back may bruise some despite magic, but if a bruise was the worst of it, that was _nothing_.

Emma had been in hot pursuit of the witch since watching Regina thrown into the clock tower. Her synchronized hearts beat rapidly, anxious to know the outcome. Screams echoed onto the street and the savior pounded the steps faster as David, Ruby and Tinkerbell were clambering right on her heels. She muted their presence, wanting to hear or _feel_ any sign of Regina’s presence. That she was all right.

“Unngh…” She misstepped, tripping up the next stair, white-knuckling the railing at the moment when Zelena had tried for Regina’s heart.

“I’m alright,” Regina called down to the advancing party.  She stood on annoyingly shaky legs and stared out the smashed clock face at the street below.

Green eyes shot straight up the circular helix of stairs with relief in hearing her lover’s voice. “Regina…” she whispered and with secured footing, resumed her ascent.

Emma’s entourage all exchanged a shared glance at the way the blonde whispered the former evil queen’s name, then quietly trailed up the stairs behind her. They watched a bordering frantic savior reach the top, breathlessly eying Regina.

Even hearing it from the mayor’s lips, Emma had to see it for herself. “You’re okay …” Her voice remained low as panic diffused while acknowledging, at least in her own head, that Regina was right - she survived because Zelena needed her heart. “You’re really okay …”

“I’m still alive,” she confirmed.

David’s curious gaze blinked away as he assessed any visible injuries on Regina. “We saw Gold disappear.  We thought she--”

“Defeated me?  Hardly.”  Regina smirked.  Her gaze shifted to Emma’s and could see that her lover was even more keyed up than she was.  That wasn’t all that surprising to her, considering that she’d been secretly guarding her heart through the whole ordeal.  “I survived because she wanted my _heart_ and I had sense enough not to bring it here.”

“Wanted your heart?” he repeated while thinking things over. “First my courage, now your heart? Any idea what spell she’s collecting for?”

Regina had no clue as to what her sister was prepping for, nor could voice that

because any chance of her answering Charming’s question was immediately cut off by Emma. The savior had advanced on her lover while David spoke, completely tuning everyone out. Her priority had been protecting Regina and her heart, and that need was still fervently pulsing through her veins when she reached out and took the older woman in her arms - kissing her in passionate relief.

They hadn’t talked about how they were going to handle their feelings with regard to the town or Emma’s parents.  Therefore, Regina was as surprised as the rest of them when the savior kissed her. But, she didn’t hesitate to kiss back.

Tinkerbell gasped.

Ruby muttered a bemused, “I _knew_ it!”

David stood there with a gaping mouth, uncertain as to what he was actually _watching_ was real!

Regina pulled back, focusing entirely on Emma.  “Are _you_ alright, dear?” she whispered.

“Now that I know you are?” she said, pulling the mayor tighter into her arms. “Yes  …”

The blonde held onto Regina for dear life, afraid to let go until the gust of emotions sweeping over her could finally settle. The fear of losing Regina, coupled with the mayor’s own insecurities during the battle had made the savior unusually tense and clingy towards what she considered _hers_. But that was also a by-product of having the former evil queen’s heart beating within her chest.

Conscious of David and Tink’s gaping at them, she kissed Emma’s cheek and hugged her tightly.  Regina whispered, “I promise I am only minorly banged up, despite it all.”

“So, you’re… you’re…?”  Tinkerbell cleared her throat.  “Regina, just _what_ is going on here?  What about Robin?!”

For the first time since gifted with Regina’s heart, it fell out of sync with Emma’s as jealously flared, rearing its ugly head.

“What the hell is she talking about Regina?” Emma questioned, her voice deceptively calm.

Regina shot Tinkerbell a dirty look, barely suppressing a smirk at David’s completely baffled expression.  She did not miss Ruby’s knowing look either.

“Em, Tinkerbell has imagined - _for years_ \- that Robin Hood is my true love,” she said flatly.  “He’s _not_.  I’ve _chosen_ you.”

As her father tried to digest the implications of this conversation, Emma was recalling an earlier conversation when Regina pleaded for the blonde to understand _where_ she wanted to be and _who_ she wanted to be with. Or at least, that was what Emma had presumed it to mean. That Regina had chosen to be with her despite the difficulties that they would face together with her parents, the town, Henry’s memories, their newest threat.

“What you said to me before … it was because of _him_ then.” Her gaze turned lethal towards the fairy. “What makes you so sure _you_ know what’s best for Regina, huh?”

“Pixie dust doesn’t lie.  It never fails,” Tinkerbell shot back defiantly.  “It led us straight to Robin that night.   _Remember_ , Regina?”

The brunette glowered at her.  “I _remember_.  Tinkerbell is mad because my decision to avoid Robin, years ago, resulted in her losing her wings.  But, she’s gained them back and is in Blue’s good graces for dealing with Pan’s shadow.  So, drop it, Tinkerbell.  I didn’t choose him then, and I _don’t_ trust him now that he just happens to be in town now.”

“Enough!” David’s voice cut in before Tinkerbell or Emma could chime in to keep fueling this argument. “Regardless of what happened then or now, this is not the time or place to discuss it. It has nothing to do with Zelena’s threat.”

Floored, Emma looked at her father in surprise and some of the respect that she had lost for him had begun to return by not immediately questioning her relationship with Regina. At least not yet. He wouldn’t just ignore what happened here and just sideline it for now because Prince Charming wasn’t going to forget that his daughter was with his former nemesis.

“Now … we know what she’s after. Regina’s heart which is safely hidden. We’ve got a reprieve but we have to capitalize on it before she strikes again. So … your heart and my courage ...” he addressed Regina. “Any idea what she’s trying to do with them?”

“And your unborn child,” Regina reminded with a heavy sigh.  She squeezed Emma’s arm.  “They’re ingredients.  But, I have no idea for what kind of curse.”

David nodded, sighing despondently. He hadn’t forgotten at all - he hadn’t wanted to voice his child’s importance to Zelena.

“Lovely,” Emma rolled her eyes while crossing her arms, forcing Regina’s hand to slip away. “Courage and a heart? Just missing the brain and you’ve got the Wizard’s trifecta gift package.”

Regina shook her head, looking pale.  She still didn’t know what Zelena was up to with these ingredients, but Emma was right about them.  “She has the brain.  She has _Rumpelstiltskin_.”  

“So what? Does that mean David’s unborn kid is Zelena’s way home? Because that’s the only other gift that’s missing from the Wizard if we go off Emma’s logic,” suggested the werewolf.

“If she wants a way home, I’m more than happy to provide it,” Regina growled.  “But, it’s all speculation at this point.  We need to find a way to stop her completely.”

“Maybe Belle can help. She was able to figure out what happened with Neal. Perhaps she can poke around the shop for answers?” Emma suggested. “We can also look through your vault for something you might’ve missed on these ingredients?”

She was starting to relax, her arms loosening as the conversation was focused on stopping Zelena, but the vicious scowl that Tinkerbell was giving Emma kept her slightly on edge.

Regina nodded at Emma’s ideas.  They were both worthwhile.  

“Tomorrow.  Yes.  We’ll double check and resume your magic lessons,” she said.  “For tonight, I think you should go to Henry.  Dr. Hopper has been exceptional, but I’m sure our son needs to see you.”

The savior was torn because she did need to see Henry, but she also wanted to stay with her lover. “Are you sure?” she asked, arms finally coming free to take Regina’s hands. “You were banged up pretty badly.”

Regina shot a meaningful look at David, who seemed to get the hint.

“Why don’t we go back downstairs,” he said to Ruby and Tinkerbell.  “Give them a moment.  This doesn’t need an audience…”

She looked back to Emma.  “I _want_ you to come home with me.  I’m just thinking of Henry.  He’s been through a funeral, wake, and then spent the rest of the day with strangers, today alone.”

“I _know!_ ” she admitted with great frustration. “I _know_ what I have to do and I _know_ Henry needs me. But you need me too, and it’s fucking hard keeping all of it straight in my head when I have two hearts fighting for dominance right now.”

Regina nodded sympathetically, but pressed a finger to Emma’s lips.  Zelena had ears everywhere, somehow, and she didn’t want their secret out.  She lifted her brows, removing her finger to cup her cheek instead.

“I know this is hard.  And, I wish we’d had another way for the toll this takes on you, Em,” Regina said softly.  She curled her free hand into the blonde’s shirt, over their hearts.  “You’ll have me close by tonight.  Right here.  And, I will rest so we are ready to handle her tomorrow.”

The troubled heart that was quietly anticipating Emma’s reluctance in wanting to come home with Regina was quieted by its owner’s touch. It also smoothed the lines of frustration away from the savior’s features when Emma eagerly leaned into her lover’s touch.

“All right,” she whispered. “And … yeah. Yeah you’re right. I’m sorry, Regina. I … really thought I could handle this better.”

Perhaps her savior status had inflated Emma’s sense of purpose and immunity, but her presumptions had erred terribly. Or perhaps she wasn’t Regina’s true love as Tinkerbell had pointed out, and this was just a waste of time. Yes, she had heard her lover chose her twice over now but for all of Emma’s bravado, she was concerned about this past development. It didn’t that both hearts were awaiting inevitable disappointment either.

And, perhaps it was because Regina was free of her own darkened heart that she could read Emma’s expression and dismay so clearly.  She cupped the blonde’s face in her hands and waited until Emma reluctantly met her gaze before she spoke.

“You are bearing a terrible burden, holding my heart.  I know.  And I’m sorry for that,” she whispered, staring into her eyes.  “But, you are _my_ savior with your effort.  And I love you for that.  I’d imagine, if you focus, you would feel that too, buried deeper than the conflict you’re feeling now.  We can do this, Emma.  If we believe.  That’s what our son would say, correct?”

The savior took those words to heart, pushing past the deeply rooted insecurities that the two of them shared. The darkness that Regina warred with fought back, wanting Emma to give into despair and embrace rejection _now_ to avoid unbearable pain in the future.

“Regina …” She began with despair, the weight of the blackened heart beating inside her chest threatening to overwhelm her. Yet that glimmer of hope that her lover had urged her to find _was_ there. Henry. Thinking of their son’s unwavering belief in both of them broke through the burgeoning despair, pulling Emma free.

“Yes ...” she was still unsure but looking into those unwavering brown eyes cemented the savior’s conviction - and briefly wondered if this was how Regina had struggled when Emma had often pulled her from the brink of relapsing into her old ways. “He would. And _we_ can.”

Her eyes shined with a familiarity towards Regina, feeling much like herself again, but Emma wasn’t naive to believe that this situation wouldn’t occur again. This would be a continuous battle until the end of the crisis. “The magic lessons will help too. Give me better focus until this over. And it gives me something to look forward to,” she said with a bemused expression. “Who knew I’d ever be excited for magic lessons since I get to be with you?”

“This is true, dear.  We will need to develop some plan to combat her, and magic will be at the heart of it.  No pun intended.”  She smirked, then gave her a firm kiss.  “I love you, Emma.”

Almost snorting at the unintentional humor, Emma mellowed her expression right before they kissed, curling her fingers around her lover’s arms.

“I love you too,” she whispered against Regina’s lips, knowing she had to embrace this renewed faith that their relationship was meant to be. That she just had to _believe_ in Regina and Henry - not in some disgruntled fairy or pixie dust.

“I’ll see you in the morning, my dear,” Regina said, stroking the savior’s hair.  

“Yes,” Emma shook her head, then looked up at the mayor with a cheeky smile. “And before I go, I’m also promising you I won’t cause too much mischief back home with David and Mary Margaret. But you know the first opportunity he gets, he’s going to go into interrogating dad mode.”

Regina nodded, having considered what David had witnessed.  She hoped the shepherd would have more tact than his spoiled wife had ever had where discretion was concerned.  She did _not_ want her relationship with Emma to be considered a secret, having known first hand how well _that_ ever went.  But, she also did not want to subject Emma to an interrogation from one or both parents, not without Regina herself present.

“Put him off.  We’ll talk to them together.  When the time is right.  I hope David will have sense enough to give us time for that, given my damned sister’s plans.”

“I … think he will. He did … gave us space just now,” she admitted, making her rather vocal disappointment in him subside to a degree. David was actually respectful to Emma and Regina at a moment where a multitude of questions would rightfully come up. He had the decency to wait where if Mary Margaret was here, Emma was sure the war between Snow White and Regina would have reignited. “But yeah… I’ll make sure he understands before he brings it up.”

“Alright.”  Regina kissed Emma firmly on the lips again then pulled back.  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Right …” she felt shaky, blinking rapidly to keep her emotions in check. It was only one night of separation - not forever - as Emma took in a deep, calming breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow…”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Promises made, training to be had and plots afoot from a certain jaded fairy ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and comments <3 You are all adored!

On the drive back to the apartment, David had respected his daughter’s silence. She had to witness Regina’s loss at the hand of Zelena. Something that the shepherd knew all too well when fighting alongside Snow White, that it was never easy accepting helplessness in a situation when it harmed the one that you loved. He was proud of Emma for trying to stand up to the insurmountable odds that the Wicked Witch had at her disposal - controlling Rumpelstiltskin and having more magical power than Regina. Then in the comfort in knowing that the mayor was safe, Emma had inadvertently revealed their intimacy with a public kiss.

He was also not blind in regards to a personal matter. Since the reunion with his daughter, David was well aware of the distance between them. Their relationship had been awkward and strained since the curse broke and similar ages, but it escalated in Neverland. That was when the biggest negative shift of their relationship had taken a hit - learning of his daughter’s feelings at being orphaned, knowing Snow was choosing him, staying on the ageless island due to his sickness - all of that on top of the revelation of his wife wanting another child because their chance had passed with Emma. They _never_ had a moment to talk about what happened, to seek a resolution or understanding because of Pan’s meddling and curse.

“Pretty sure Henry’s asleep by now.” He looked at the dashboard, seeing how late it was. Henry was probably a safe topic. “But he’ll be happy to know you’re home.”

“Yeah. Was going to head up and check on him, awake or not,” came Emma’s dulled reply, clearly distracted.

He looked upon his daughter with a thin-lipped expression, silently debating if it was appropriate to bring up Regina in any context. “Good. I’m sure Snow we’ll be happy to see us. Know that we’re safe. I’m also sure she’s at her wits end by now. Probably tried to convinced Archie to let her come see us if Henry did go to sleep. Then he probably argued her into conceding.”

Emma threw him a lethal look. “At least she wasn’t there.”

His talk of Snow had done exactly what he didn’t want to have happen. Shifting in his seat, David lowered his voice and tried to explain. “Emma--”

“No. Please. I’m not ignorant. Don’t defend her because we know _exactly_ how tonight would’ve went down if she was there.” She didn’t have to extrapolate, knowing that David would understand what she referred to - which wasn’t Mary Margaret’s safety. “And we’re not going to talk about it either unless me and Regina are _both_ present. I just want to be perfectly clear before this comes up in mixed company.”

He didn’t want to lie to Snow, but then David would be creating a further wedge between him and Emma. The initial feelings of betrayal would be worked out in time with Snow, but going against his daughter’s wishes would cause irreparable damage.

“I understand. You have my word, Emma.”

“Good,” she said with a curt nod and going silent once again.

David just wanted to do what was right for his daughter and as much as he didn’t understand what was happening between Emma and Regina, he had to respect his daughter’s wishes. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be keeping a more of a watchful eye on the mayor. She may have changed but old habits couldn’t die that easily. He would need to be absolutely sure that Regina’s intentions towards his daughter were sincere.

* * *

 

Regina had texted Emma, with some consternation and fumbling, to suggest they meet at the vault.  Mindful that her phone might be spied on by the other Charming’s or even Henry, she left the message short and to the point.  Not that Regina was so tech savvy to have any clue how to add anything particularly detailed or cutesy, even if she’d wanted to!

She felt relief permeate her soul when the yellow Bug approached.  Regina half-smiled, coming down the steps to greet Emma, who had swiftly closed the distance between them after parking the car.

“Hey you,” said the blonde, smiling as she pulled Regina into a fierce hug. “I missed you.”

It may have been only one night, but Emma was eager to return to her lover - not that anything out of the ordinary had happened either! David had kept his word, Henry was doing well despite the concern over his mother’s job, and no one had blabbed their mouths as to what happened! Ruby had even texted her before Regina’s came through, saying that her secret was safe. The waitress then had to take it further and respond with ‘Way to go! I knew I smelled Regina on ya at the fight ;)’ It was heartening and embarrassing all at once. That just left the disgruntled fairy, Tinkerbell. Emma couldn’t predict what she would do, even if the vendetta she had against Regina should have remained buried once getting her wings back.

“ _Hey_.  I missed you too, dear.”  Regina hugged her back, hands sliding up and down her back.  

She pulled back though, and guided Emma toward the mausoleum.  Regina doubted that Zelena would regard the cemetery as a sacred space, so she didn’t want to stay out in the open.

“Did everything go alright last night, after you went back to the apartment?” she asked.

“Yeah. David was understanding. He promised not to say anything and … I believe him. And nothing was weird this morning with Mary Margaret,” she explained as they walked into the Mills family crypt. “Henry was passed out when I came home, but he woke up a bit when he heard me checking on him.”

“And he’s alright?  No clue of what transpired last night?” Regina asked as they went down the steps.  There was still tightness in her back muscles, she found, despite the painkillers and the evening and morning soaks in the tub.  “As close by as the apartment is to Main Street, it’s a wonder if he didn’t hear anything…”

“Mary Margaret passed it off as late night construction. Which incidentally, won’t be a lie because there’re crews working on the mess you and Zelena made. So, yeah. He’s good.” Emma frowned, noticing the slight adjustments that Regina was making as they walked down the steps - using the stone wall for support. “Better question is are _you_ all right?”

“Sore.  But, that’s what happens when you’re thrown into a vehicle and a clock,” Regina admitted with a sigh.  “But, I’m fine, dear.  I’ve endured far worse.”

She turned to her, now that they were safely below ground, and drew Emma into a second embrace.  She cupped her cheek, planting a kiss upon her lips.  It felt like her heart and soul clicked into alignment, having the savior in her arms.

Emma’s frown didn’t disappear as they hugged, knowing that if she had been stronger, perhaps Regina wouldn’t have been hurt. But that expression melted away once they kissed, feeling that same alignment. She returned the kiss softly, pressing against her as what Emma had been yearning for since leaving Regina’s presence was finally secured.

“Mmm.   _Hi_ ,” Regina said, nose-to-nose with her.  “I really missed you last night.  I felt so alone.  

“Having Henry helped…” she confessed softly. “Our love for him got me through the night. And because I had your heart inside me, I could feel your love. I focused on that, like you told me to. But it can never replace _this_. Being with you ...”

Regina shook her head in wonder that Emma was still saying that and believing it.  Her night, alone, had left her exploring her numerous regrets, which included how she had behaved toward Emma and Henry when the blonde had first come to town.  She smiled faintly and kissed her again, focusing on what it felt like to have hope.

“We should get to work,” Regina said as she drew back again.  

 _Unfortunately…_ Emma thought, pouting visibly. “Yeah, I guess. I did talk to Belle before heading here. She’s going to research what we know so far.”

“Good.  Thank you,” Regina said.  “Hopefully, she’ll find something worthwhile.  It’s in her best interests to help us, considering.”

She led her deeper into the vault, staring again at the collection of Cora’s belongings.  Regina folded her arms across her chest, frowning.  She didn’t know what to look for among her possessions because they’d already searched them, finding the letter about Zelena’s prowess with magic there.

Regina picked up one of the treatises on magic and held it out to Emma.

“Here.  Let’s start with this.  Can you read any of it?”

Emma scrunched her face at the symbols, not understanding a single thing, and shrugged. “Do I look like Gandalf?”

“Who?  Nevermind.  Bad idea.”  

Emma snapped her mouth closed, all gung ho on explaining Gandalf and Lord of the Rings but she knew that tone, and knew better than to pursue a conversation when she had to focus on being trained.

The mayor took the ancient book back and set it on the shelf, lost in thought.  Regina didn’t know _how_ to _teach_ magic.  And she had no intention of teaching the way Rumpelstiltskin had instructed her.  

“Magic, at its core, is about emotion and passion.  Going with your gut and letting your will be done by magical means.  I think that’s true for light magic as much as it is for dark magic.  But, then again, how would I know?” Regina grumbled.  “You’ve shown you can use it when it counts.  But, being able to…”

 _This is hopeless.  I don’t even know what I’m talking about_.  She shook her head, moving away from Emma.  

“You already know _how_ to use magic.  What am I supposed to teach _you_?”

“Like hell I know how to use magic! It only works when I’m pissed off or in danger. No where near reliable as it needs to be like we talked about. Otherwise I wouldn’t have _just_ punched your sister in the face last night,” the blonde said, moving closer to Regina. “I need you to show me how I can do that.”

“Looked to me like you’d punched her pretty well without me showing you how to do that,” Regina smirked, playing with her words.

“So we’re back to antagonizing me?” she snapped back. “This is serious Regina.”

“Oh, you _do_ have my heart.  That sounded more like me than it did you,” the mayor chuckled.  She sighed then, looking around the vault for inspiration.  “Alright.  How do I help you control your magic without turning you dark?  You see, Rumple had me practice stealing hearts.  Making fireballs until I cried.  How do I impart that to you without turning you into me?”    

“But that isn’t you _now_ ,” she challenged. “There has to be a way to teach me how to control my magic that won’t compromise who you are now.”

“We just have to be creative?  Is that it?” Regina asked with a roll of her eyes.  She ran a hand through her hair, pacing.  An idea struck her.  “Maybe we incentivize your magic.  Do a skill right, consistently, and I reward you somehow…”

Emma looked dubious while she narrowed her gazed. “So ... what? You’re going to treat me like a dog learning new tricks? Yeah. That sounds _so_ much better.”

Regina smirked.  She picked up a candle holder, a safe, non-magical item and held it out in her palm.  “Take it from me.  With magic.  I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

Still not buying it completely, Emma looked from the candle holder, to Regina, and then back to the object in hand. “All right. Just don’t be surprised if this doesn’t work because the Force isn’t strong in this one.”

Taking a deep breath, she then shook out her hands and arms, trying to physically loosen up. Magic was the topic at hand, but she needed to relax, or try to at least. Green eyes focused on the candle holder and held out her hand, willing it to be ripped out of Regina’s hand towards her own.

 _Nothing_ happened.

“Impressive.   _Most_ impressive,” Regina snarked.  “Dig deep, Emma.  You have two magical hearts in your chest.  Use them.”

“Not sure if I’m happy you got the Star Wars reference,” she grumbled, and felt herself actually sneering towards the object the mayor was holding. Sneering! As if it were the making light of her instead of her teacher.

With Regina’s provocation, Emma refocused her attention. She wanted to shut her lover up and prove to her that the savior could live up to the potential inside her. It was almost like Neverland all over again - Regina getting under her skin to get the desired effect.

Emma painted the picture of what she wanted to occur within her mind and willed it to reality. The candle holder flew out of the mayor’s hand and slapped against the palm of the savior’s, who was smirking in victory. Just like that. It was so simple and it made Emma wonder why she had the initial difficulty. “There you go, Majesty. One object moved by magic.”

She _had_ been advised to use both hearts. There were some consequences to that, namely Regina’s sass.

“Well, bravo.”  Making good on her promise to make this worthwhile, Regina used magic to flick several buttons open on her blouse.  The black lace of her bra was now visible.  She eyed Emma’s reaction as she began to understand the game better.  “Make it re-appear, gently, in my hand.”

Emma’s head canted to the side, eyes zeroing in on Regina’s chest. “Did you just …?”

“Mm.  I told you I’d incentivize your training.  Now, did you hear what I just told you to do?” she asked sternly.  Emma had told _her_ this was serious, and so she’d make it.  In her own way

“That’s a hell of an incentive …” she said, looking up at Regina curiously with an edge in her voice. “And yeah. I _did_.”

She was taking this seriously, but how could anyone fault the savior for stumbling a bit when Regina was undressing! “Don’t blame me for being distracted because _you_ caused the disturbance.”

Refocusing, Emma decided that as much as she was really liking the incentive, it also doubled as a distraction. But she wasn’t going to let that be a deterrent either. She closed her eyes and tried to replicate what had just happened, except willing the object back towards Regina’s hand instead. Letting go of the candle holder, she envisioned that desired outcome… and heard the damn thing hit the floor.

Regina rolled her eyes and rebuttoned her blouse.  “So much for strip magic.”

“It wasn’t a bad incentive,” Emma admitted with a pout. “Just… kind of distracting too.” The blonde then added with a smile, “I really did like it though.”

“Well, the idea was to prove you could concentrate and focus on your magic,” the brunette replied.  “So, I’m open to suggestions on how else to help you gain that control.”

“Regina,” Emma began, crossing her arms with an amused look, “this is me. How could I _not_ find this idea a stimulating incentive? Just caught me off guard and it was just … hard to get my head back into the lesson. I mean, it wasn’t like you were in danger here. Unless you count getting a draft.”

Regina tilted her head and stared.  “ _Prove_ to me that you can control your magic.”

The blonde worked her jaw, mildly taken aback by her teacher’s lack of sass and atypical Regina-style reactions. She knew why it was the case. It was just another odd adjustment for Emma to accept.

“Just to be clear - if I fuck this up, I’m basically getting the couch tonight, huh?” she asked just as seriously.

Regina folded her arms across her chest and frowned.  Yes, she wanted Emma.  That was a given.  But, after having her backside handed to her by Zelena’s magical touch, she _also_ wanted to make sure Emma was going to be as prepared as possible.  Making a game of the lessons had set a bad precedent, Regina realized, and she just was not going to encourage that angle further.  Emma needed to learn more than anything else.

The savior sighed and knew not to push her luck in asking anything further about the incentive, especially if Regina were serious about withholding! In fact, talking about anything right now was probably a bad idea.

She glanced down at the candlestick on the floor. Regardless of sex being on or off the table, what the savior needed to learn was actually dire - she had to control her powers in order to protect Regina and Henry.

“All right,” she muttered, fixing her gaze upon the object she needed to move into Regina’s hand. Emma returned to what she thought would’ve worked if her head wasn’t so far gone with the surprise incentive. Closing her eyes and reaching a hand out towards the candle holder, she targeted her thoughts about the objective she wished to performed. But not only that, Emma dug deeper into what Regina had taught her. Magic was about emotion and intent - and she had a 100,000 horse powered magical engine in the form of two beating hearts that shared a love for each other.

Magic abruptly coursed through her body, making every nerve ending tingle with power that felt _nothing_ like the last attempt. Yet Emma was also afraid to peek an eye open to see if the end result was different too.

“I’d clap, but that’s a koan, isn’t it?  The sound of one hand clapping?” Regina asked, not even thinking the saying might go over Emma’s practical head.  “You can open your eyes, dear.”

Emma’s face scrunched up, clearly in confusion to what Regina was referring to, but did open one hopeful eye.

“Holy shit!” she exclaimed, eyes zeroing in on the candle holder gripped firmly in the mayor’s grasp. “It worked!”

Regina let Emma have her moment to marvel at her success, thinking that wiser than snarking at her as Rumple did in her own training.  She smiled and gave her an encouraging nod instead.  

“Yes, you did.  So now, I owe you an appropriate reward, don’t I?”

Smile reaching her eyes, Regina closed the distance between them and kissed her quickly and passionately.  Emma hadn’t really considered the incentive again, but she wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity either! But then, the mayor stepped back again and lifted her brows.

“That’s all I get?” the blonde asked with a playful pout.

Regina did smirk then, looking amused.  “Poof us successfully to… the docks.  And then, we’ll see if you earn anything more.”

She gave the mayor a questionable look. “I’ve barely poofed an inanimate object into your hand. Now you’re trusting me to not poof us into the bay, a wall, or off a ravine?”

“Prove that my faith in you is not misplaced,” Regina replied, eyes twinkling with mischief and challenge.

Sighing and unable to hide her insecurities, Emma flexed her fingers to alleviate the misgivings she was having about the accelerating lessons.

_Okay. It’s the same thing. Just moving two larger objects, that happen to be very much alive, over an even greater distance. Totally the same. Just like the lifting the X-wing out of the swamp, Swan. Except, you know, teleporting._

“So... picture the docks and just will us there?” she asked tentatively, hoping that Regina took her question seriously. “Is that how you do it too?”

Regina set the candlestick aside and smiled, approving of the wisdom of asking first.  “Yes.  It’s all driven in emotion and will, as always.  But, I _do_ visualize precisely where I want to be.  You can save a dramatic poofing exit and arrival until you’ve mastered the skill itself though.”

“Eh, don’t worry about the dramatics with that. That’s all _you,_ Regina.” She was glad that her line of thought was on target, but still looked pensive. “All right. Docks.”

Emma knew the exact spot to take them too and reached a hand towards Regina.  She slipped her hand into the blonde’s and gave it a squeeze, showing that she trusted her with this task. Visibly swallowing, the savior averted her gaze from Regina’s and closed her eyes. She let out a breath of nervous air as she pictured a place on the docks that she knew held significance to them both. If she was going to actually poof them somewhere, Emma wanted it to be special to help her focus and tie all of the simmering emotions within neatly together.

_Magic’s emotion. And what ties this all together better than Henry?_

They immediately disappeared in a poof of white smoke, materializing on the dock where Tamara and Greg had opened up the portal they took Henry through.  Regina squeezed her hand as she spied their surroundings.

“Good work, Miss Swan,” she said approvingly, teasing her with the use of her name.  “Take us back now, and I’ll be sure you’re doubly rewarded.”

 _Much more fun than training with the imp was,_ she thought.

The savior looked a bit confused that Regina didn’t acknowledge where they actually were. “Not that I’m complaining with the approval, but you … don’t have anything else to say about where we are?”

“This is the follow up to when we truly began to work together instead of at cross-purposes,” Regina said quietly, a nostalgic smile crossing her lips when forced to slow down to appreciate the moment.  “When the threat of losing Henry had become our mutual concern.”

“With everywhere we could go, I knew it had to be _here_ for exactly those reasons.” Emma came to stand in front of Regina and took her other hand with a smile. “I’m taking what you say seriously. Magic being all about emotion. That means I’m always thinking about you and Henry. Which is working out really good since I haven’t blown us up yet,” she added with a small smirk.

Regina smiled shyly at that, touched and inspired by Emma’s honesty.  She wondered, briefly, if her heart beating in Emma’s chest helped her to express those feelings better.  It was a nice bonus, if that was the case.

“It seems you’ve learned the trick of it.  Both the magic lessons and how to make the fearsome evil queen tender and bashful,” Regina said.  “And with _that_ in mind, I think you should poof us wherever you like.  It need not be the vault.”

“Really?” asked the savior, taken aback that the lessons were over today. They really hadn’t been working on them much since arriving at the vault.

“We don’t need to be in the vault for you to learn and demonstrate your skill,” Regina said with a simple shrug.  “In fact… I have an idea.  Let’s make sure you can poof yourself at will.  See you in the mines.”

Emma could finally feel a small tremor of magic being called forth by the mayor. And she recognized it for what it was. Green eyes bulged. “Regina! Waitaminute ….” she called out.

With that, a quick puff of purple smoke encircled Regina and she vanished.  

“Really?” the savior said with a frown and lightly shrugged, watching the smoke dissipate.  “Great.”

But this exercise wasn’t any different than what Regina was teaching her before. The only thing missing was her lover, and Regina couldn’t be with her all the time. Emma needed to call upon her magic at will, especially in a crisis when the mayor couldn’t help her, and now tt was time to prove that she believed in what she just declared - that Regina and Henry were her source of control. She focused on the love she had for them and then envisioned the mines, the precise location where the two of them had stopped the trigger together. It was the likely spot she would find Regina. In fact as she delved deeper, Emma could almost feel the presence of the mayor’s magic still lingering. She wondered if there was a way to follow that trail, kind of piggy-backing off its presence because she did house the owner’s heart. But before she could continue on that line of thought, her magic had taken over and teleported her to the envisioned location all on its own.

“Holy shit!” Emma cried out, hearing her voice echoing down the mine corridor - clearly the sudden shift in location startled her.

Already waiting in the mines, Regina stood with her arms folded over her chest, a smirk on her face as her lover shouted upon arrival.  She shook her head and stared at her.  

“All this talent, and you’ve just been letting it go to waste.  Good god,” she sighed.

“Hey!” Insulted, she curled her mouth upwards, not at all pleased in hearing Regina’s assessment of her skills. “Kind of didn’t know I had powers. And honestly, with all the craziness in this town, can you blame me for not wanting to use them? I only caved for Henry’s sake.”

“That was a compliment, dear,” Regina said.

And whatever dismay there was in her tone was self-reflective.  She wondered what life would’ve been like had she not enacted the curse.  Emma still would’ve had innate magic and what might’ve their lives been like if Regina had not been so depressed and destructive?  There was no way to know.

Emma slowly deflated, looking dismayed that she misunderstood what the mayor was trying to do. “Oh. Uh … thanks?” she said, uncertain of what to say right now.

Regina offered her an understanding smile and looked to the space where they’d both stood, combining their magic - even with Emma’s so raw and untapped - to contain the self-destruct in the diamond.  She shook her head gently, remembering.  Her heart beat quicker with the memory, but it was Emma who felt that.

“Whoa…” said the blonde, startled at the intensity of Regina’s beating heart as she clutched her chest in wonderment. She looked upon the other woman with a smile, just knowing that it was a good memory of the mayor’s, and of course it could only be one in particular.

Regina looked back at her and smiled.  “We make potent magic together.  In more ways than one.”

Emma’s smile only grew as she approached her lover. “I should certainly think so …”

This time, instead of using magic to contain the diamond, she reached her hands out to take Emma’s.  Regina’s smile was gentle as she leaned in, kissing Emma slowly - so poetic in sharing this tender moment here. The very spot where their relationship had changed for the better. Sure it had taken the savior a lot longer to catch up, but she didn’t hesitate in kissing back the woman she loved at where it all began.

* * *

 

Tinkerbell glanced up the street, then behind her, ensuring that she was not being trailed.  After years of having the Blue Fairy breathing down her neck followed by dodging Lost Boys and Pan in Neverland, it was just second nature for her to worry that she was being watched.

She assumed that Blue would flat out tell her to stay out of this, but she couldn’t!  Her life had been ruined because of Regina’s choice and Mary Margaret had a right to know what was happening!  Determined, she entered the building and hurried up the steps to Mary Margaret’s door.  She gave it a quick rap, and then took another suspicious look around to make sure no one was around.

“Tinkerbell!” Mary Margaret exclaimed with typical cheerfulness.  “How nice to see you!  Come in!”

 _Wow, she is very pregnant_ , she thought and only barely kept that in her head.

“Um, hello, Mary Margaret.  Thank you,” Tink managed.  “How’re you?”

“Ha!  Don’t ask!” she replied, leveraging herself onto the couch.  Snow gestured for Tink to have a seat.  “I’m uncomfortable, sequestered, and unable to help my family when it needs me most!”

Tinkerbell looked around before looking back to Mary Margaret as she sat down adjacent to her.  “Did David talk to you then?  Or Emma?”

“About the showdown last night?  Oh, yes.  We argued about my being forced to stay here with a babysitter.  Can you imagine?  I know they said Archie and Pongo were here for Henry’s benefit, but--”

“No, I mean what _happened_ at the battle,” Tink couldn’t help but gush, leaning toward her hostess.

“David told me.  Regina’s sister is so powerful… can you believe that?!  My midwife is… was… is her half-sister?!”  Snow exclaimed.

“No, not that.  I mean yes, just what we needed was another crazed witch from that family line, but--”

“I know, Tinkerbell.  Regina took a pounding thanks to her sister.  And Mr. Gold just _stood_ there?” Mary Margaret said with an exasperated sigh.  “It’s so hard to believe, someone more powerful than Regina or Gold!”

Tinkerbell gave her an incredulous look.  “No!  What happened _after_ that!  We all ran up the stairs of the clock tower and Emma _kissed_ Regina!”

Mary Margaret couldn’t comprehend this the way Tink was explaining.  It was absurd to assume it was anything more than a chaste kiss of relief at her well-being.  After all, they co-parented Henry, especially after poor Neal’s death!  And, she said so to the fairy, dispelling her need to gossip.

“It wasn’t a kiss like that!  Aren’t you hearing me?  Your daughter is having a… a… _fling_ with Regina!  With your enemy!” Tinkerbell exploded.

Snow laughed and waved a hand.  She could _not_ believe that.  It was crazy!  “Tinkerbell, you had to have mis-seen this in the moment!  Emma isn’t interested in Regina!  She was with Neal!  And Hook has pursued her since before Neverland!  She _kissed_ him there!”  

Tink fell back in her seat in disbelief at how stubborn Snow was proving to be.  “And she kissed Regina _that way_ _now_.  And, clearly, no one told you it happened!”

The placating, bemused smile on Mary Margaret’s face drained away then.  She frowned and tilted her head to the side.  “They really kissed?  Passionately?  Was there magic at work?”

Tinkerbell shrugged.  “Not that I could tell, but the magical potency was pretty strong with the battle.  Emma initiated it though.  I wouldn’t say that Regina had her under a spell.  Looked pretty natural to me.”

Mary Margaret sat up straighter, best as she could.  “And _David_ saw this?”

She nodded seriously.  “We all did.”

“We who?”

“David, Ruby, and me,” Tinkerbell admitted.  “And, what’s even worse is that Regina’s true love is in town, and she’s ignoring him in favor of your daughter!”

Ever slow on the uptake, Mary Margaret replied, “But Daniel is dead…!”

Tink rolled her eyes.  “Not Daniel.  Robin.  Robin Hood.  That’s her second chance at true love and she’s throwing it away again!”

“Again?”

She shook her head.  “Long story.  The point is that Regina is having a tryst with your daughter!  And we have to stop them before this goes too far!”

Mary Margaret blinked, trying to make sense of this business about Robin Hood.  Now, at least, she knew who that had been lurking around Regina at the funeral and wake.  She wondered why she knew nothing about this before!   Was it in their lost memories, perhaps?

“I… I can’t believe Emma would really betray us to… gah, be romantic with Regina.  She knows our history with her, no matter how much things improved when we were in your land--”

“Not my land,” Tink interrupted stubbornly.

“--working together to save Henry,” she finished as if the blonde fairy had not even spoken.  The longer she spoke, the more hyper Mary Margaret sounded, her voice rising in pitch.  “I… I don’t doubt what you believe you saw, Tinkerbell, and it’s concerning that David did _not_ mention any of this.  Nor did Emma!  But… but I… I will have to question them now, won’t I?  Won’t I!”

Tinkerbell bobbed her head in agreement.  “Keep them apart and point Regina back to Robin.  Speaking of… where’s Emma now?”

Snow’s response was ice cold.  “Training.   _With_ Regina.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad, bad fairy ...


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelena hatches out a plan to get Regina's heart, David gets bitched at, and Emma and Regina find a clue to the past ...

Zelena was furious.  That she was more powerful than Regina was obvious.  That she’d ensnared Rumpelstiltskin in order to further disable her sister was a stroke of genius that proved how much smarter and strategic she was!  And yet, Regina had, somehow, anticipated the need to take her heart and had thwarted her from her goal!

She let out a growl of frustration and Mr. Gold lifted an eyebrow.  Hands clasped in front of him, he stood in the farmhouse’s small kitchen, watching Zelena as she paced.  He said not a word.  While she did control him with the dagger, Gold felt no allegiance to her and had no desire to help her in her mad quest.

“Arrgh!  What has she done with her damnable heart?!” Zelena ranted.

Gold say nothing since the question had not been directed at him.

“Where in the hell could she have put it to try and trick _me_?” she seethed.

Unmoving and silent, Gold was careful to avoid even _thinking_ a single thought lest Zelena remember his presence and force his aid in locating the object of her desire.  He simply waited out her tantrum and knew, if nothing else, he had surely made the right decision when choosing the younger of Cora’s daughters to enact the dark curse.  Zelena was far too much the loose cannon.

“Her precious vault?  No… even Regina realized that I could get through her blood magic at her office.  She wouldn’t use the vault, knowing there would be no way to keep me out.”  Zelena sneered, looking positively demonic.  “Similarly, she would know her office and her pretty little home would be unsafe.  I will tear this town apart to find it!”

She paced the kitchen and finally noticed her magical pet, Mr. Gold, standing in the corner as if he was trying to melt into the wall behind him.  Zelena smirked, clearly loving having him at her mercy.

“Oh my dear, Rumpel… you know this town and your pupil best.  Where in town would she hide her heart?  Is it buried in the woods?  In a box in your shop?  Where would she hide it from me?”

Gold offered her a cagey smile.  “I’d hardly know, dearie.  It’s not as if Regina trusted _me_ with that sort of secret.  She’s always kept her heart to herself.”

Zelena narrowed blue eyes and closed in on the imp.  “I think you’re lying.”

“Is that so?”  he asked through gritted teeth.

“I do.”  She drew his dagger from its sheath and trailed the flat of the blade against his throat.  

 _Why has she never bothered to kill me and claim the power of the Dark One for herself?_ Gold couldn’t help but wonder.   _Why keep me alive?_

Even he didn’t yet understand her plan and the ingredients she sought.  Mr. Gold hissed softly and glared back at her, yearning to defy and destroy her himself.  But, he felt utterly powerless while she held the dagger.

“I don’t know where Regina has hidden her heart, Zelena,” Gold said.

She lifted ginger brows and smirked.  Her voice was rich with arrogance, drunk on the power of controlling him.  “Dark One, I _command_ you to locate Regina’s heart.”

Gold physically sagged, shoulder blades bumping the wall behind him.  He had hoped that by keeping his thoughts blank that that would somehow minimize the chances of Zelena thinking of his power to see the past as well as the future.  Gaze shifting momentarily diffuse, he could not help but use his magic to see Regina’s recent past.  Gold watched it flash before his eyes and tried to keep his expression neutral given the surprise he felt at seeing what had transpired between Regina and the Savior.

 _Well, well.  What a turn of events the original dark curse has led them to…_ he thought.

Unable to hold the truth from his controller, Gold whispered, “Regina’s heart is with Miss Swan.”

Zelena stepped back quickly and cried out again, both in frustration and in triumph.  The heart she needed had been so close, after all!  Emma had been in her face throughout the showdown and now she knew why.  It was Regina’s heart, hidden somewhere with her, that had been making the plucky wanna-be Savior edgier than normal.  

“How cunning to place her heart with the last person I would imagine!  With her rival!” Zelena cackled.  “But, it doesn’t matter, because you and I are going to make her hand over Regina’s heart!”

Gold stared.  “And how do you propose that, dearie?  It’s not as if Miss Swan would willingly part with her heart if it has been entrusted to her.”

Zelena looked crazed as she smiled at her.  “Oh, we have a way to persuade her… you’ll see.”

* * *

 

Knowing Zelena would not take defeat so easily, David had been working with the dwarves and Regina’s knights that had once served her in the Enchanted Forest to provide continuous patrols around the immediate perimeter of the city. It was encouraging to see the two factions that were at constantly at odds working together for a common purpose in defending the town. But even with that effort, there was still concern. They knew where Zelena was holed up, at the farmhouse, and _everyone_ was staying clear of it now after the fight last night - especially witnessing the witch’s control over the Dark One. That meant the surrounding forest was compromised and the former shepherd knew exactly where he could enlist further assistance.

With the loss of Little John, him morphing into one of Zelena’s winged minions, the entire camp enthusiastically volunteered for guard and scout duties. One in the company of particular note was a middle aged man, stocky in build, but had a kind face behind the brown scruff. His unruly hair kept blocking his vision as he spoke to David, who had learned during the course of the conversation, that this was Arnold, cousin to Little John.

“The day be best for me and Tala to scout the witch’s home,” the stout man said with a gleam in his eyes.

The prince pursed his lips together, wanting to understand who this was because there were no women in the Merry Men with that name. Namely, there was only one woman and that was Mulan. The warrior was a close friend of Aurora’s and had assisted Neal in escaping the Enchanted Forest to Neverland along with Robin. It was how she had came to join the band of outlaws.

“Tala?” he asked cautiously, not wishing to offend.

“Aye. She’s out hunting right now. Should be back--” But Arnold looked up, noticing a shadow passing overhead between the treeline. “Ah! Seems she’s done early!”

David looked up and finally understood. Tala was a female falcon! She zeroed in on the gauntlet that Arnold wore and slowed her descent to land. Talons curled around the thick leather, stretching out beautiful chestnut colored wings.

“Little girl. You’ve made quite the mess o’yerself,” he cooed, using his other glove to gently remove the remains of Tala’s kill along her beak, a sight that astonished David because a falcon’s beak was curved and deadly, able to kill and pick apart its prey with precision. The trust that Arnold had with Tala was extraordinary.

“Well, it’s nice to finally meet Tala,” he said sincerely. “And I know both of you are eager to help and scouting the farmhouse is a good use of your skills. Now that I have a better understanding of what you can do.”

“Thank ye. We’ll be off after gathering a few odds ‘n ends.”

“Just don’t engage the Wicked Witch or the Dark One. We need to know what she’s planning, or when they’re on the move. Report back immediately if anything comes up that can help us. And lastly? Don’t be a hero.” He looked sympathetically to the falconer. “I know she’s the one that hurt your cousin, but you can’t help him if you’re captured or killed. All right?”

“Aye. I’ll take yer words under advisement, your highness.” Arnold bowed his head and went to his tent.

“Why do I have a feeling we’ll need another scouting party just to find _him_?” David said to himself, questioning just how much of his advice Arnold took to heart.

Robin cleared his throat as he approached David, Roland matching him step for step,  his hand curled snugly into his pant leg.  “Arnold’s a good lad.  He’ll listen to you.”

“You know your men better than me, but I hope you’re right.” He went from speaking to Robin to smiling down to the young child holding his father’s leg. “Hello, Roland. Always nice to see you.”

Roland grinned and ducked his face into Robin’s leg.  The elder Hood chuckled and patted his unruly dark hair.  

“He says hello, I’m sure.”  Robin sighed ruefully.  “Who’d have thought we’d all be working together like this, eh?  All we need is King George to show up and agree to help out.”

“Now that’s a miracle I doubt could happen. Even with the Blue Fairy having access to all the fairy dust back in our land, hm?” he said with a chuckle.

Robin smiled.  “Aye.  Seems like you’ve got a good handle on this, though.  We’ll be as prepared as we can when the witch makes a move.”

“Yeah. I hope so.” David sighed and looked back to Roland, his thoughts turning to his unborn child. “At least we have an idea of what she wants now. Just no insight to what her end game is. Until then, she’s dangerous. Especially after Emma and Regina managed to outsmart her last night.”

“Aye.  I heard that it was quite the battle,” he replied, keeping his response safe for his son’s ears.  “For as fearsome as she was in our land, I _am_ a tad surprised that Regina was bested…”

“You’re not the only one,” the prince said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “But magical aptitude runs in the Mills family it seems. Their mother was a sorceress too. It’s just unfortunate that Zelena has more raw power at her disposal. _And_ the Dark One.”

Robin nodded, stroking Roland’s hair absently.  He thought of his own history with the Dark One, the risk he took at stealing from him for Marian.  And for Roland.  

“You speak the truth.  How is your wife holding up through all of this?  Can’t be easy with her being so close to delivery…”

“No. It isn’t,” David said with a chuckle. “She wants to help and it infuriates her to no end that she can’t. I think most of my energy has been convincing her to stay home than actually fighting against our newest threat. Snow wants to be a presence for the others. But it isn’t just about her protection. She has our child to think about. And Emma ...”

He trailed off with a shake of his head. It was too long of a story for him to get into. “We just want to get it right this time. But there’s _always_ someone going after our children.”

Robin lifted a brow.  It seemed inconceivable to him that they were best mates now, no matter what had happened here in Storybrooke over the last few years.  

“Pardon me for asking, but knowing the queen… sorry, the _mayor’s_ history with your family, are you so certain she isn’t partnered with her wicked sister and playing you for fools?” Robin asked candidly.

“Regina’s been changing, _slowly_ , over the past few years here while you and your men were still in the Enchanted Forest. And honestly? That would have been our assumption at one time - believing that Regina was playing a part in all of this. I mean, the town had thought she was behind the new curse here initially. But besides her genuine confusion in Zelena’s existence, she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize being reunited with her son. Siding with the Wicked Witch would certainly do that even if Henry doesn’t have his memories back. But, he _will_ ,” he said confidently. David knew that Regina would find a way for Henry to come back to her. “I know much of this is confusing since you weren’t brought here in the first curse, but I’ve seen Regina sacrifice everything to protect herself and the town.”

_But why am I finding it so hard to accept that she is in a relationship with my daughter?_

Robin looked dubious.  “As you say, I wasn’t here as she _changed_.”

“Papa?”

Distracted from his thoughts, he crouched down to Roland’s height.  “Yes, my boy?”

“Can we go get ice cream?  Or do we have to be soldiers right now?” he asked earnestly.

Robin chuckled.  Ice cream was a novel treat to them both since it had not existed in the forest.  He rose and hefted his son into his arms.  “Sure, Roland.  Let’s go have ourselves some ice cream.  If Mr. Nolan here thinks that is okay.”

Roland turned his wide dark eyes on David, looking hopeful.  “Can we, Mr. Nolan?  I really like ice cream.”

“I certainly can’t say no to that! I happen to love ice cream too.” He clapped his hand on Robin’s shoulder with a smile as he heard his phone going off. “Go have fun with your father. He can play soldier a bit later with when we need him, all right?”

“Okay!”

“What do we say, Roland?”

“Thank you!” Roland shouted to David, giggling gleefully.

Chuckling as he pulled out his phone, he flashed Roland a smile. “ _You_ are very welcome.”

David then answered the phone without checking to see who called. “Sheriff Nolan here.”

“ _David!_  You have to come home _right now_.  We have to _talk_ ,” Mary Margaret growled into the phone without so much as a greeting or status check to his safety, considering.

He was clearly taken aback at first by his wife’s forceful tone, head snapping up in bewilderment before heading to the squad car. “Whoa … Slow down, Mary Margaret. What’s going on? Are you and the baby all right?”

“We’re _fine_ ,” she replied savagely.  “But, you need to come home _now_.”

His wife making demands of him never sat well and came to a halt. “No. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about.”

Mary Margaret pulled the phone from her ear to glare at the device as if she was shooting David himself the same death glare.  She pressed it back to her ear and hissed, “It’s about our _daughter_ kissing _Regina_ and you choosing _not to tell me about it!_  Now, get home!”

And with that, she slammed the earpiece down on its receiver.

Flinching as he was verbally accosted, David sighed as the real issue was revealed and wanted to strangle Tinkerbell for going behind their backs. He had no proof but with how riled up the fairy was last night, intuition pointed in the direction of that pixie dust trail. When the phone was slammed down, David pulled the phone away from his ear, wincing further at the reverberating pounding in his ear. “Great. Just what we needed on top of all this. A hormonal and now _raging_ Snow White.”

* * *

  
Staring down at her mother's diary, a log of her unholy choices and ambitions, Regina could only shake her head. Emma had convinced the reluctant mayor to go back to the vault to resume the search for _something_ to combat Zelena, and it was a good thing that the she had.

 _A blood feud.  An unbelievable blood feud.  It was as much about revenge as it was power.  Gold was right; I’m just like her._ She looked at Emma, feeling a bit ill again.   _All of this has intertwined our families for generations, right down to Henry._

“Do you think she’ll even believe this?” Regina asked.

Emma parked the Bug near her parents’ apartment and leaned back, shrugging. “She doesn’t have a choice. The truth’s right there. And it’s our best ammo too, Regina. To let it finally _rest_ what’s between you both so we can be together.”

“Are we going to bring that up as well?  Us?  Now?”

“Well, if there’s a good lead in… yeah.” She shifted in the driver’s seat and took Regina’s hand between both of hers. “You saw what happened last night. I barely kept it under control and I still _kissed_ you. I don’t regret it, but it’ll probably happen again and I don’t want to sneak around having to keep myself in check around you.”

A smile twitched across Regina’s lips to hear Emma say that.  Then, she only nodded because - at the end of the day - no matter how much she’d changed and what trust she’d gained, to the Charming’s, Regina knew she was yet the Evil Queen.  And, she expected serious fallout from their development.

“Alright.  Well, one step at a time.  Let’s present the diary and clear the history,” Regina said with a sigh.

“You got it,” Emma said in agreement. She gave her lover a reassuring smile but that quickly faded as her gaze caught what should have been a delightful sight, seeing a father walking with his son. Except that father was Robin Hood, and the savior made no effort in hiding her displeasure in seeing him. Not after last night’s revelations.

Regina sighed as she followed Emma’s gaze.  Robin looked back at them, scowling.  Roland, at least, was oblivious and looked happy with his ice cream cone.  

“Let’s go,” she said again.

Emma gave him a disapproving look right back. “You sure you don’t want to say _hi?_ ” she snapped. It was difficult to tell what motivated that comment- jealously or Regina’s frustrations in seeing him yet again.

“Oh, grow up,” Regina snarked automatically.  “I could care less what _Tinkerbell_ thinks about him.  And you should know that.  What _I_ want to know is why that forest dweller is always popping up wherever I am.”

That pushed aside whatever zealous emotions she had towards the outlaw because now they were being swiftly replaced by murderous intent as Emma looked back at Regina.

“What’re you talking about?” she demanded. “Is he stalking you or something?”

“I don’t know.  It just feels like he’s always around.  Zelena’s cottage.  The funeral, the wake.  Now.  Maybe it’s all coincidence.  Or I am hyper-sensitive because he wasn’t here with the original curse; I don’t know, Emma.”

“Yeah. You’re not really fond of new people in town,” Emma said with mild amusement. “But if I know anything about Storybrooke, nothing here’s coincidence. We’ll have to keep an eye on him just in case.”

Regina nodded and climbed out of the car, ignoring the way Robin watched them.  She clutched the diary close to her chest as she made her way to the door, chuckling when Emma insisting on holding the outer door for her.  But, the laughter died as they ascended the stairs to the Charmings’ apartment.  With each step, Regina felt like she was being pushed in front of the firing squad all over again, no matter how genuine their evidence was.

Wincing behind Regina, Emma heard a very heated argument with two words repeatedly shouted by Mary Margaret which were _Emma_ and _Regina_.

“Shit. How the fuck she find out?!” the blonde hissed, pulling at Regina’s arm to stop her.

Color drained from Regina’s face and she leaned heavily against the bannister.  “Oh, hell.  David or Tinkerbell.  The wolf would be quiet, I’m sure.  But the other two…”

 _Which means the diary will fall on deaf ears.  We’ve, in Snow’s mind, only escalated the feud by falling in love.  She won’t see it that we’re actually healing the old, recurring rift,_ Regina realized.  

“It _wasn’t_ David. He promised me he wouldn’t say a thing and I believed him. Which means that fucking fairy’s at it again,” growled the savior.

Regina frowned.  “Well, we may as well deal with this head-on.  Right now.  Before we go in there, Emma, no matter what your mother may say, I am in love with _you_.  And my feelings have _nothing_ to do with our families’ history.  I swear it.  I know you can _feel_ it.”

“I know,” she affirmed. “I have _no_ doubts at all in how you feel about me. But I swear to god, Regina. If this conversation goes as bad as it could? I’m done with them _both_.”

While she had no love for the Charming’s, Regina had at least seen eye to eye with David on more than one occasion.  She didn’t want Emma to make a rash decision about her parents; after all, she was the one responsible for their separation as a family, even if the chain of destruction had begun long before Regina’s choices.

“Let’s just take it as it comes, Em.  No need to buy extra troubles,” she cautioned.

“Don’t proceed to lecture me,” the blonde snapped and brushed past Regina. “Now let’s get this over with.”

Lightning quick, she reached out to grab Emma’s wrist, which forced the savior to come to a screeching halt.   “I’m _not_ lecturing you.  Kiss me quick.  I need to armor up in your love before going into battle.”

Regina’s words visibly startled the blonde, who looked momentarily confused. She processed what was happening and it was clear that the combined panic between the two of them in this situation was overwhelming and bleeding into Emma’s initial reaction. Regina was right. They needed to go into this pending argument together on a united front, and see how this played out without presuming a disastrous outcome.

She slowly descended the two steps separating them and stopped where Emma was just a head taller than Regina. Instead of apologizing or explaining her behavior, she immediately  captured her lover’s lips in a soft kiss, drawing upon Regina’s strength just as desperately.  The mayor kissed her back, feeling that surreal sense of hope that her heart gained by being with Emma.  She drew back, a little breathless.

“Alright.  We can do this.  Together,” she said.

Licking her lips, Emma squeezed the mayor’s hand with renewed strength and tugged her gently up the rest of the way.  Regina decided to be direct and used magic to open the door; the sight of them standing, hand-in-hand, was enough to silence the Charming’s argument.  David stared, looking somewhat embarrassed.  Mary Margaret glared at Regina, looked at Emma, and then stormed off toward the bedroom.

“We need to talk, dear,” Regina said, projecting her voice in her imperious tone.  “Now.”

David immediately went to his daughter with an imploring look. “Emma, I _swear_ to you that I didn’t say anything. I wouldn’t have betrayed your trust like this.”

“I know,” she said, hushing him with her hand. “More important things going on here right now then who said what. But for the record? Tinkerbell’s going to get choked later.”

Mary Margaret gave them both a wide-eyed, lethal look.  It lingered longest on Regina.  “Angry that Tinkerbell _outed_ you?  That you came home--”  She looked from Emma to David, then.  “--and couldn’t _bother_ to tell me what you’re _doing_ with _her?!”_

“I made a promise to our daughter _not_ to. She wanted the chance to speak to the both of us _with_ Regina, and I wasn’t going to jeopardize a chance to try and mend things between us,” David explained honestly again for the third time.

“It wasn’t his place to talk about me and Regina,” Emma continued as her father nodded emphatically. “And as much as you two like to claim you’re my parents, you’re _not_. You two never were, and I’m tired of you acting like you have a say in my life when you made it perfectly clear you’ve moved on.”

Regina bit her lip, realizing this encounter could very well go nuclear with Emma holding _her_ heart in her chest.  And what could she do?

Mary Margaret glared balefully. “Regina, what have you _done_ to _my daughter?!_ It wasn’t enough that you forced us to part with her with your fucking curse, but now you’ve had to _steal her away from us_ by _seducing_ her?!  What is _wrong_ with you?!”

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but Emma jumped right in with a vicious rebuttal. “How _dare_ you accuse the woman I love in manipulating me when _you_ freely admitted you fucked up and wanted another kid! And don’t even get me started on how Regina’s curse _made you_ give me up, because you didn’t have to! You could’ve kept me! We could’ve been a family but _you_ made the decision to stuff me in that wardrobe! And it’s what you’ve continuously done since realizing your little baby daughter is all grown up and can’t control her decisions. Blaming Regina for everything is always your immediate response and it’s _got_ to fucking stop, Mary Margaret.”

Regina turned and stared at Emma, jaw dropping at the force of her outburst.  She knew her heart had a role in it, but - at the same time - everything she’d said had been bottled for a long time.  It was time for Emma to finally let her mother have it.  

Mary Margaret stumbled backward, her back colliding with the kitchen high-top.  She clutched a hand over her heart, gaze shifting back and forth between Emma and Regina. She didn’t even see her husband’s dumbstruck expression because she was so riveted to them.  

“Emma…!  That… that’s not what… that’s…”

Regina cleared her throat and decided that she’d take advantage of Snow’s shock and horror and try to divert the argument.  She was not about to defend herself to Mary Margaret after all, and there was nothing she could add better than what Emma had already said.  She held out her own mother’s journal and looked from her to David.  

“This is Cora’s diary.  We found it among her things while trying to strategize a way to finish Zelena,” she said.  “We were bringing it over to show you what we’d found in it, when we overheard your fight.”

Regina frowned, handing it over to David, searching for words.

“What you need to _understand_ , Snow, is that this hatred between us goes back to our mothers.  Our mothers had been rivals for _your father’s_ attention long before I was even born.  It all started with my damned sister.  You need to read this and _understand_ , dear.  This isn’t about you or me.  Or even what you believe about Emma and me.  You need to know where this all started.”

“You both need to read _that_ ,” the blonde said, thumping her fingers against the book that David now held. “Then, maybe we can actually talk.” She turned and took Regina by the arm, motioning for them to go. “I doubt anything productive can happen anymore. And I’m not in the mood to hear more excuses.”

“Emma, _wait_!” David pleaded, wanting an immediate fix to this situation. He knew it was futile hope, but if his daughter left them now this upset, it would be challenging to get another chance to clear the air and try and heal from the wounds inflicted - some that he and Snow inadvertently caused. “Please stay. I don’t want you _or_ Regina to go. Not when we have this chance to talk.”

He beseeched his wife with a searching look. “I don’t want our daughter walking out of our lives, because _that’s_ what’s going to happen, Snow.”

Snow’s expression shifted as Regina dared to bring up her mother and dared to suggest there was history.  Of course there was!  Cora had been responsible her death!  Her gaze shifted to David and the diary.

 _But, we both know that.  So, what the hell is Regina talking about, if not that?_  

She looked back at Emma.  Knowing David spoke the truth, Mary Margaret’s tone turned pleading, as though she genuinely wanted to understand this.  “Emma… you truly _love_ her?  You _love_ Regina?”

Without the holier than thou Mary Margaret accusing her, Emma’s anger had been tempered. And it was so easy to answer the question - one in which she did not hesitate in answering. “Yes. I really do.”

Regina ducked her face, smiling and blushing because hearing Emma tell her _mother_ that touched her deeply.  “And I love Emma,” she added, unasked.  “I have loved her since she refused to abandon me to my fate with the trigger.  My feelings have _nothing_ to do with our history, Snow, and _everything_ to do with what a brave and loving woman Emma is.”

Emma turned and gazed upon Regina, her hardened expression melting away in seeing her love so vulnerable in front of her parents! She smiled and found a different sort of strength to combat her parents instead of immediate rage and suspicion. Bringing Regina’s hand to her lips, Emma then turned to her parents with a determined look that still held all of the passion as before, but the lines of anger had gone. “I honestly didn’t know how I felt about Regina until recently. Just … everything that happened made me realize that I’ve been in love with her for a long time and I’ll do _anything_ for her. Like making sure Zelena doesn’t win, and it’s because I love her that I _know_ I can protect her.”

The savior couldn’t get into the specifics as to how she was protecting Regina, but part of her wanted to. Because having Regina’s heart beating inside her chest spoke so many emotional truths that would just shatter any arguments that her parents had. That was just the arrogance talking.

Green eyes flickered towards Mary Margaret briefly before lowering to the swell of her mother’s belly. There was one truth that she should share. “And honestly? I felt I had nothing keeping me here until Regina told me how she felt …”

Snow stared at them, lips parted, though she said not a word.  She didn’t know _what_ to say to them, not hearing how _raw_ both Emma and Regina were.   _They sound like Charming and me_ , she had realized, but could not bring herself to voice that.  Not yet, anyway.

“I… I’ll read Cora’s diary as you… as you suggest,” she finally choked out, having to look to David then, clearly looking for help.

“You do understand that we’ll need time,” David admitted. “To go over the diary and talk between us? This is a lot to take in. Not only with your relationship, but also what’s in this.”

He held up the book and walked over to his wife, holding it out for her to take. “If what you say is true--”

Emma was about to open her mouth and verbally lash out, but Regina squeezed her hand hard.  “It is.  And, just remember that there isn’t much time to take.  Zelena’s still out there.  Call one of us when you’re ready to talk.”

David nodded. “We realize the urgency. We’ll be in touch as soon as possible.”

Regina bobbed her head once, and turned to head toward the door with Emma.  They’d done all they could for now.  At that moment, there was a knock at the door and she paused as David skirted around the couple to answer it.

“Hey, Archie.  Everything okay?  Where’s Henry?” he asked.

Archie held out Henry’s scarf.  “Haha, funny… no, I realized after he left with Emma that he’d left his scarf behind.  I was just dropping by to return it.”

Emma’s hearts sank as panic overwhelmed her. She had left Henry in Archie’s supposedly safe care. “What the hell are you talking about?! I _never_ came by to see you except to drop him off.”

Regina strode toward him, her glare menacing.  “Speak, Bug,” she growled.

Archie looked terrified, though not of Regina.  “Henry was with me, and… well, you know that.  What I mean to say is that Emma came over, said that she was going to take Henry home, and… all was well with that.  I mean, why not?  But, if you’re here....?!”

Mary Margaret found her voice at last, whispering out one name:  “Zelena.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Current chapter hits a bunch of notes. How to rescue Henry, Emma and Regina’s relationship, magic, surprises, true love, and a sad bird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tough chapter to write, but here it is. There's a lot going on and we hope everyone enjoys. Any questions, which may arise, please ask! =)

"I'll kill her for threatening my son!" Regina raged, charging toward the door.

"Regina!" Mary Margaret shouted, lurching out to reach for her arm, but Emma was there to swat it away.

"You've done enough right now," hissed the blonde before charging after the mayor. "Regina! As much as I want to tear apart the town right now to find Henry, it's not going to get to him any quicker."

Regina stormed down the stairs and blasted open the downstairs door with magic, exploding out onto the street like a force of nature. Eyes blazing with fear and anger, she turned and looked back at Emma.

"She'd have taken him back to the farmhouse! We have to save Henry!" she exclaimed, looking like - if she stopped shouting - she'd completely break down.

"But that's exactly what she wants us to do then!" she countered, shouting to keep up with Regina. The mayor had a point about their son's location, and Zelena was arrogant enough to just take him to the farmhouse. "If we go over there right now like this, we'll be playing right into her hands! You _know_ she's doing this to force you in giving up your heart by taking the very thing you love the most!"

Regina glared at her. "Then what _exactly_ do you suggest?!"

"We need a moment to _think!_ Henry doesn't have his memories back, which Zelena probably knows because of Gold. If we show up blasting shit everywhere, you're going to do more damage to _him_ than anything else!" Emma pleaded, looking frantic because she didn't know what to do either.

Shoulders sagging then, the brunette looked vulnerable and afraid. Tears welled in her eyes as she met Emma's gaze. "If I don't go and blast her back to Oz _somehow_ , she's _won_ , Em. I can't let her hurt or kill Henry. I'd sacrifice myself and my darkened heart a thousand times over to protect my _son_."

"I know." Emma slowly approached Regina, drowning out the spectators that came running down the street to find the source of the explosion. There were also heavy footfalls coming down the stairs. The savior was using these precious seconds to make a decision for them both of them. "And I would too. So there's really only one solution. I give myself up in exchange for Henry," she said softly, trying to be strong for the both of them.

Regina sighed heavily, but regrouped. "We go together. Henry needs us both. And if we can get him clear, I _am_ going to destroy her for this."

"But if you can't, you need to leave with Henry and do _everything_ in your power to get him out of there _and_ remember you. Because we both know this could get real bad, real quick." Emma was being pragmatic, knowing that if Zelena had her way, she'd destroy the savior and claim Regina's heart as prize with Henry as collateral damage to really make her sister suffer.

Oblivious to the Charmings and the townies, Regina swallowed hard. "And, you don't pull any unnecessary crazy savior-stunts. We do what we must for Henry, and then we get out. Because I _need_ you, Em."

She kissed Emma then in full view of everyone, not carrying a whit for the gasps that move elicited.

"She really loves her," Snow whispered, looking well and truly stunned.

"What the bloody hell's this?!" the pirate said, shoving his way through the small crowd, flabbergasted like the surrounding citizens. His voice tried to mask the rage seething underneath for being overlooked! "Since when are you keeping company with the Evil Queen? And you two?!" he swiveled, waving his hook towards the Charmings. "You're all right with … with _this?_ "

"Shut it, Hook," Regina snapped, her expression hardening as she stared him down. "We have _both_ made our choice."

Simultaneous with Regina, Snow shouted back at him, "Yes! We are!" Her voice softened, looking to her daughter and Regina. "And yes… I mean it. I can _see_ that this is true love. I'm sorry for how I reacted to you at first. It was just the way Tinkerbell made it sound, and… I'm sorry."

Emma paled, which could have been attributed to a great many things that were occurring all at once. Henry was in the clutches of Zelena, Hook's embarrassing interception, Regina and Snow both shutting him down, and of course most of Storybrooke having watched the savior and the mayor kiss! But no. What made her so frightened was the way her mother was going on about true love. The blonde was already honest with Regina, how she was afraid of having that emotional connection with another person, or whether it was even possible for Emma to accept that they could be true love. Regina took it in stride and didn't care - just as long as she had Emma's love.

_And if we have true love, why didn't the curse break?_ And Emma wasn't the only one thinking that.

"True love my ass!" shouted Grumpy, looking unimpressed and disgruntled towards the two mothers. He then spoke directly to Snow. "If that were the case, we'd all have our memories back, sister. Still."

He looked behind him at his brothers, specifically smirking at Happy.

"You need to pay up."

"It just means that this curse isn't tied to _our_ true love's kiss. After all," Regina reminded, "David and Mary Margaret had kissed during _my_ curse and that didn't break it. I'm sure a lot of you had kissed and nothing happened."

Mary Margaret looked embarrassed, then frowned at Regina. Accepting of their relationship or not, true love or not, she and Regina still had interpersonal work to do!

Blindsided by Grumpy's bizarre interjection, Emma was tuning out Regina's rebuttal, waving her hands in confusion. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. What the hell were you guys betting on?"

Grumpy was motioning for his money faster. "All of us had bets on whether or not you and the Evil Queen would sleep together."  
"What?! You just saw us kiss!"

"Are you denying that you two slept together?" asked the dwarf while Happy was laying dollar bills in his outstretched hand.

"Uh," the blonde didn't know what to say, but her blushing face revealed everything.

"Now come on! This is a serious conversation, dwarf. The boy's missing. _Again._ " interjected the pirate, hoping to get things back on track instead of hearing about Emma sleeping with someone that wasn't him. But Hook then lowered his voice, looking hopeful at the small band of mining brothers. "But out of curiosity... were there any bets on me?"

"Oh for fuck's sake," barked the savior, grabbed Regina's hand, and poofed the two of them away without another word in a cloud of white smoke.

Regina spun around and found them in her bedroom. She couldn't help but chuckle at that and lifted her brows at Emma. "Nice. What do they call that in this world? Freudian?"

The savior was thinking of a safe place to run to, away from the ridiculous rabble, and the mansion was her first thought. It was safe because Regina had entrusted Emma with her heart here and part of her had started to believe that this place could be home. However poofing into the bedroom was _not_ planned. Rolling her eyes at Regina, she pulled out the phone from her jacket pocket and sighed. "It's David. Probably wants to make sure we're okay."

"Take it. I don't want him pestering when we close in on my sister's farmhouse," Regina said sternly.

She went downstairs to pore through her magical items, those few she kept in the mansion. Regina thought they needed some sort of diversion that would distract Zelena just long enough to extract Henry. She also made a mental note that, when Henry was home safe again with his memories intact, he ought to have magic lessons. Surely he'd have the aptitude as the son of Baelfire and the Savior, Regina surmised.

Flipping through a book of spells, an idea came to the former queen. She smirked, remembering when Rumpel had declared she _might_ be able to learn to change her hair color with a week's worth of practice; Regina might not have used the skill in some time, but she had surely mastered her mother's signature shape-shifting trick later. It could come in handy now, if Emma would agree to work together rather than try and play solo action hero, who was now walking down the stairs and shouting for Regina to hear.

"Mary Margaret and David aren't happy - surprise, surprise - but they understand the plan and why we need to do this alone. I also had to calm them down and reassure them that I didn't poof us away because I was mad at them. _Then_ I had to calm them down because I could poof," she chuckled, looking for signs of where her lover went.

Regina peeked her head out the study and smirked. "You needn't shout. I'm right here. And… I have an idea…"

* * *

Henry's mothers poofed to the farmhouse's driveway as they'd planned. Emma glanced toward the storm cellar where Gold had been kept, considering it, then shook her head. She nodded toward the house proper.

"They're in the house, I think," she said, already in motion, boots crunching up the gravel path.

"Hold up. We're supposed to be doing this together," the older woman reminded as Regina regained her footing on the awkward path. "What did I say about this not being a savior-solo mission?"

Emma sighed. "Right. Sorry. Together."

She resisted the urge to snark and ask if Regina needed to take her hand. Why hadn't she opted for easier footwear given the terrain?

"But, you know… today, _Regina_?" she couldn't help but insist.

"Do _not_ rush me, Miss Swan. I'm perfectly aware of the urgency in the retrieval of our son," she snapped, eyes riveted to the farmhouse.

_We should've just poofed onto the porch,_ Emma thought with an impatient sigh. She shoved her hands into her pockets and walked at a slower pace to accommodate Regina's high heeled boots and her pace in them. Conscious of the fact that Zelena likely now knew they were on approach, Emma still tried to hurry them. Henry was in the house, somewhere, and they _had_ to succeed at getting him away from her.

"Looking for me, darlings?" Zelena called out from the porch. She yanked Henry out from behind her. "Or are you looking for _your boy?_ "

"MOM!" shouted Henry as he struggled against his bindings.

Regina's eyes widened in momentary panic, wondering if her son was subjected to any mistreatment, but the way he immediately called out to Emma suggested that he hadn't witnessed any magic just yet. Perhaps just deplorable fashion sense.

Now she directed her murderous gaze upon Zelena, having to play this carefully as to not harm Henry. "Release. Him. _Now_."

Zelena ignored Regina and, instead, focused on Emma. "I suggest a trade. What do you say, savior?"

"Savior?" Henry repeated, confused.

Emma glared up at her, approaching the bottom porch step. "It seems we have no other choice."

"Mom! What's going on?! If she's already killed my father, why does she want you too?!" Henry pleaded, eyes fixed upon Emma.

Emma's heart wrenched for him. He suffered too much in Storybrooke; this had to stop.

"Henry… it'll be okay," she called up to him. She swallowed hard. "Zelena and I have a deal to make. I'll go in the house with her, and I want you to go with the mayor, okay? I'll see you once the deal is done."

_Thank the fates that Gold is nowhere around. But, where is he then?_ she wondered.

Zelena smiled shrewdly, looking from Emma to Regina. "Recovering well from our little fight, sis?" she catcalled.

Regina balled her hands into fists then dropped them at her sides, the leather creaking under the forceful strain. Before she could manage a response, Henry broke out in a panic.

"S-sis? Y _ou're her sister?!_ "

Henry hadn't looked at Regina with such disdain and fear since the time when he learned of the Evil Queen from that wretched storybook, as a little boy. It was like she was grieving twice over a son she had lost through the curse and now with her sister's meddling. The full weight of that emotional burden would have been worse if not for Emma protecting her heart

" _NO_! I'm not going with her! Not until I know what's going on!" he shouted, trying to jerk free from the restraints unsuccessfully.

There was going to be no way to reason through this that she could see, not with Henry oblivious to what was really going on, and Zelena being… Zelena. Emma rushed the steps, charging at the witch. She was definitely not going according to the plan, but knew Regina would improvise and make sure Henry went with her somehow.

"Henry, go with Regina! _Now_!" Emma bellowed as she literally body-slammed Zelena, throwing her back against the clapboard siding. Henry stumbled back, falling awkwardly on his backside because of his earlier struggles.

Momentarily stunned that her lover had best thought to engage the witch physically once again, Regina recovered quickly and sprinted towards Henry. Her son immediately scrambled to his feet with a grunt and thrust his confined hands towards the mayor.

"NO! I'm not going _anywhere_ with _you!_ " he shouted, frantically looking around for the best escape route.

"Henry you _need_ to listen! I'm not working with Zelena or would do anything to hurt you, _ever!_ Yes, she's my sister, but I have _nothing_ to do with what happened to your father or your kidnapping. I swear it! But you have to come with me, _now_!" Regina implored desperately.

That at least seemed to calm the urgent desire to flee, but Henry made no move towards the mayor. "I'm not going without my mom! We can't just leave her here!"

Emma grabbed onto Zelena by the arms and shoved her through the open farmhouse door, deliberately kicking the heavier door shut to protect Henry from seeing anything that happened. After all, she knew the witch would try to go for Regina's heart the second she could!

"Foolish, self-important savior!" Zelena screeched as Emma's momentum crashed them both onto the well-worn rug and hardwood floor.

"Crazy witch!" Emma retorted.

Zelena reached toward her, thrusting her hand into Emma's chest. Her already demented look took on a demonic cast as she realized she'd been thwarted again, by some form of trickery. She screamed and shoved Emma away.

As she stood, Zelena pulled the Dark One's dagger from her boot sheath.

_Oh shit. She'll stab me with his dagger?_ Emma thought with a bolt of panic.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I summon thee!"

Scrambling onto her feet, Emma re-opened the door and shouted to Regina and Henry, "GO! NOW!"

* * *

Still sported his tattered suit, Rumpelstiltskin stood in the forest. He had come out here many a times _on his own business_. It was most distasteful to have to do so at Zelena's behest. He stared at Robin Hood with an unfathomable expression, ignoring the corpse he'd brought back to the Merry Men as a final warning.

"Wasn't enough that your Little John became a big flying monkey?" he chided. "Ye had to go and taunt her further?"

Drawing her sword, Mulan stood next to Robin with immeasurable strength and defiance despite the Dark One having tossed the body of a dear ally, Arnold, before her leader's feet. Why Rumpelstiltskin had felt generous to let his winged companion live was perplexing. He usually took great delight in torturing _all_ of his victims - which would have included the falcon that now rested on the warrior's pauldron.

"Yes because an old scout and his bird were such a threat to you and that witch," she spat.

While he wasn't above killing, this technically was _not_ his fight.

"Consider yourselves warned, Hood and Merry _Persons_ ," he said, smirking at Mulan in particular. Gold looked to Robin then, his expression softening. "The witch has no reason to fail. Taunting her will only result in further bloodshed."

Robin looked immediately to where Roland was hiding inside their tent, fearful eyes watching what was unfolding and had been scarred by seeing his 'Uncle Arnold' lie unmoving on the ground. He dropped to a knee to shield his son from the sight, snapping his fingers to call one of his nearest men to assist.

"We understand. You'll have no further quarrel with us. My men will remain far away from the Wicked Witch's lands," he replied solemnly.

Mulan sneered, her arm unwavering. "Perhaps his _men_ might. But I necessarily won't."

Tala squawked, flexing her wings in an apparent pact of desired justice.

Rumpel's gaze flickered from Mulan to the falcon. He offered a sympathetic shrug. "It is nasty business. Take heed that those _you_ love mean nothing to her. Revenge is what she is about. Do ye really want to follow in the witch's footsteps, dearie?"

"Not fighting back is just as dishonorable. But don't presume you know exactly how I'll go about it. I'm not known for being … _traditional_ , Dark One."

" _Enough_ , Mulan." Robin bellowed hoarsely, clearly devastated that Arnold, the body that he now cradled, had been killed and everyone in his camp was now at risk, especially Roland. "Your message has been received Dark One. You may take leave of this camp as we've preparations to make."

"Very well," Gold said.

He took a step back, ready to magic himself away when Zelena's shrill voice echoed in his skull: _"Rumpelstiltskin, I summon thee!"_

"Ah, damn," he sighed. With no choice now, Gold vanished from the Merry Men's camp.

* * *

In a puff of purple smoke, Mr. Gold appeared on the porch. Brown eyes focused on Henry and his mother. He smirked and shook his head, immediately seeing what they'd done.

Looking to the mother on the porch, he clucked, "Nice trick, dearie. You do make a passable Emma, but you can't fool me."

His gaze softened as he regarded Henry again, recognizing that the boy _had_ to be innocent of the glamour spell that had disguised one mother for another given the look of terror on his face. Gold truly felt for his grandson.

"Your command is simple, Dark One. Reclaim your grandson or Regina's heart," Zelena growled from the door. "I _prefer_ the latter."

Nothing made sense anymore to Henry. What was supposed to be a simple job in some far off town was turning his entire world upside down. His father had been here and died by the woman claiming to be the mayor's sister. A woman that he believed he could trust but just like his mother, secrets were being kept from him and Henry was at a loss of what _to do!_ Now people were appearing in clouds of smoke and his father's murderer was demanding this disheveled looking man to go after him or the mayor's heart. If he wasn't panicking so much, Henry would have noticed that this stranger looked upon him with sympathy and familiarity.

Emma, still appearing as Regina since the glamour had yet to be dropped, realized that there was only one way out of this. She had a split second before Gold could respond to Zelena's command and applied all of her focus on Regina and Henry, needing to poof them all away to safety.

"I don't think so, dearie," Gold said, nullifying her urgent intent to teleport away. "Ye heard the lady."

"Ah shit!" she hissed, frantically thinking of a plan B. Upper limbs were thrown haphazardly towards Gold, hoping to at least catch him off guard, and off his feet, with a burst of white magical energy.

Regina, appearing as the savior still, shouldered past the defending Gold to crouch desperately in front of Henry. Her mentor might have seen through the glamour spell while Zelena had yet to comprehend, but Henry had no idea what was going on. And, assuaging his fears became her top priority in this rapidly deteriorating situation.

"No matter what happens, no matter how crazy this all seems, I love you, kid," she said, remembering belatedly to use Emma-speak. Regina met his gaze, then kissed his forehead.

A burst of bright, potent, magical energy emanated from the pair that canvassed the immediate surroundings and shot outwards across the entire town of Storybrooke. Henry gasped as memories of his real life saturated the moment fully and when he was able to form a coherent thought, brown eyes looked straight through the glamour spell and smiled with realization. He knew exactly who was staring right at him.

"MOM!"

"Henry!" Regina exclaimed, seeing the light in his eyes.

And she understood what he felt because _she_ finally remembered everything too from the lost year. She remembered the horrific pain of finding herself back in the Enchanted Forest, trying to bury her heart to cope with the pain of losing them both. Regina remembered Snow nagging her to move on, mere minutes after they'd been transported back and she felt rage anew for Emma's mother. It all came back, how Robin Hood had been in her presence since day one, making quips about "saving her ass." Everything. She remembered how the curse had come to be and who had cast it! But, there wasn't time to cope with any of this yet.

Regina hugged Henry hard, then reached for Emma and hugged her hard too as Zelena seethed behind them.

"Dark One, I _command_ thee to take her heart!" the witch roared.

As much as Emma wanted to keep the reunion going, they needed to get out of here _now._ With the three of them already cloistered together, the savior figured that she had a better chance of poofing them away without interruptions. She immediately concentrated on the mansion, specifically the porch, and called upon her magic as swiftly as she could to get them there.

"Sorry, Miss Swan," Gold said.

"Damn it, Gold! Don't!" cried out the savior in vain.

With a quick wave of his hand, he nullified Emma's magical efforts temporarily, keeping them situated right there on Zelena's front yard. As her power faded, the glamour spell dropped, revealing them for their true selves. They'd chosen to use Emma's magic to enact the spell, knowing that Zelena wouldn't know the trace of her magic use as she might Regina's.

Gold looked truly apologetic because, the truth of the matter was, he _knew_ they faced a stalemate. Emma had confided in him, after her journey to the Enchanted Forest, that Cora had been unable to pluck her heart from the savior. Some quirk of her light magic and _being_ the savior protected her. It was truly genius on her and Regina's part to protect the Evil Queen's heart with the same concept; even he had to admit that!

"I'm sorry," he said again.

Emma believed that he was telling the truth and braced herself for inevitability, even knowing this was going to be a futile gesture on his part. What impressed her the most was that he was _actually_ doing this - trying to take her heart knowing it would fail. It meant that he had not told Zelena how Emma was truly protecting her lover's heart. Gold was not giving up information willingly. For whatever his reasons were, he was no coward this time.

Mr. Gold thrust his hand into her chest because he had no choice, seeking Regina's heart. He watched Emma's pained reaction and saw her gaze sharpen a split-second before a wave of light magic blasted him several feet backward. Gold landed hard, wind knocked out of him.

Zelena shrieked and flew down the porch steps, the Dark One's dagger raised in her hand as she charged toward Emma in a blaze of rage, now that she could see for certain who was who. Regina shouted and tried to grab onto Emma and Henry with her magic in order to pull them out of harm's way, but Gold's nullifying spell thwarted her too. After all, all magic came with a price. Without even thinking about the consequences of her actions, the savior immediately pushed Henry out of harms way as the crazed witch stabbed Emma squarely in the shoulder - the closest part of anatomy to be found. Her body jerked in surprise, stiffening as her arms shot up vainly to try and remove the blade. The jagged edges intensified the pain that radiated from the point of impact that finally made the blonde cry out vehemently, noticing as she looked down, the end of the dagger poked out through her shirt.

" _Fucking bitch_!"

Henry screamed, "MOM!" at the same moment that Regina shouted, "EMMA!" and, once again, the former evil queen tried to use magic to throttle her half-sister and pull her true love from harm's way. And nothing happened! She shot a vile, hateful look at Gold, who was just sitting up and recognizing what had transpired.

_Who knows what damage is done by that cursed dagger?!_ Regina thought, horrified. _She's not invulnerable, savior or not. This is too dangerous now._

"Emma… give her my heart. We'll find another way," she said, voice dropping.

"No! I won't let her win!" she hissed out, working through the violent pain as Zelena twisted the dagger. Unfortunately Emma was ignorant that Gold had dampened all of their magic, leaving her and Regina powerless.

"Mom!" Henry shouted.

"Emma, we don't have a choice!" Regina insisted. "We _will_ find another way!"

Zelena turned toward her sister, looking feral. She wrenched the dagger out of Emma's shoulder and seized Henry's wrist, literally playing a game of tug-of-war, trying to pull him away from Regina.

"If your own well-being isn't enough, I _will_ torture your boy until you give me her damned black heart!" Zelena threatened.

"NO!" Emma shouted from the ground, weakly reaching up as she tried to muster any of her strength to blast the witch away from her son while fighting through the pain. _Nothing_ happened. That revelation explained the dire situation perfectly, understanding why they had no choice but to comply with Zelena's demands. If Emma could not call upon her magic, and Regina had yet to conjure her favorite fireball, it meant they were left magically impotent. Otherwise the three of them would have been long gone by now.

"Stop!" she soon added, breathlessly forcing the words out. "Please. I'll … I'll give you her heart…"

Regina whispered, "You can have my heart. Let my son go."

"Y-yes…" said the blonde, falling on all fours and panting as the ache in her shoulder threatened to overtake her into unconsciousness. "Need… need Regina. _Please..._ let our son go. So she can help…"

Zelena looked back to the so-called savior and sneered. "Give up her heart then."

"I _will_! But I _need_ Regina to _fucking help me!"_ she yelled. "Or… or you know? I could just _die_ before… getting the heart out of me. Then nothing matters. I'd be the best heart vault ever… ever created...bleeding all over the ground ..."

Regina turned toward her teacher, giving him a deadly look. She couldn't help Emma without magic, and Gold was the one holding them all back. He grimaced, clearly not wanting to let go of the spell that induced the stalemate. Finally, he gave a curt nod and Regina felt magic rush back over her senses.

She dropped to one knee beside Emma, pulsing magic over the wound in her shoulder with one hand, the other resting on her back. Trying to keep Henry in her peripheral vision while she focused on Emma, she asked, "Are you alright, dear?"

"Like shit," she answered honestly and carefully tested her shoulder. "Thanks, but that wasn't why I needed you."

"We'll get you checked out as soon as we can," Regina said absurdly, defaulting into parental-like care because it was what she knew how to do.

"Regina! Just… _stop_!" she was getting annoyed at the fussing, even though Emma was well aware it was a defense mechanism. Despite the sudden sharp tone, she quickly regrouped and calmly explained what the issue was. "Look… I need you to focus and help me. Not like I'm going to ask psycho sister or Gold how to do this, but… I… I have no idea how to get your heart out of my chest. You're the one that put it there," she admitted petulantly, because her own ineptness was wearing thin on Zelena's limited patience and that put Henry at risk.

Regina winced because it was so obvious a failing on their part. How could they not have an extraction plan in place?!

"Em, you just have to reach in and feel for my heart. Wait… we'll do it together."

_I think. I hope._

Unsure this would work, but similarly at a loss in the stress of the moment on how to guide Emma to do this herself, she took the savior's wrist and guided her hand to her own chest. There was nothing but love and trust in her eyes as she thrust Emma's hand into her chest. Regina's lips twitched with discomfort when she knew the blonde had found it.

"We'll find a way to stop her. I promise."

"I know…"

Emma yanked out her lover's heart, knowing that despite the insurmountable odds that they were facing, they would still find a way to thwart Zelena's plans together. Glancing down at the beating organ within their hands, she reached out with the other to help cradle it gently.

"We have to do this to protect Henry, but I swear to you Regina…" Emma's gaze snapped upwards, locking onto brown orbs with savage intent, "…we're going to get your heart back. I'm _not_ losing you."

"I know," she said simply, repeating Emma's words.

Regina took the heart away from Emma's gentle hands, gazed at it contemplatively, then rose and faced Zelena. The wicked witch smirked in triumph, shoving Henry toward his mothers as Regina held the glowing-but-tinted heart out to her. Zelena plucked it from her hand, and instantly, she and Gold poofed away - leaving Emma a wreck, screaming openly in frustration and failure. The intensity of it bled into her previously restored magic, blowing the posts and stairs clear off the farmhouse's porch.

Henry jumped at the explosion, staring wide-eyed from one mother to the other. Regina bit her lip and focused in earnest on Emma's shoulder, ensuring the injury was healed, praying there was no side effect to being stabbed at Rumpel's dagger.

"She's a _dead woman_! Threatening my son! My lover!" growled the savior as she got to her feet. She had _never_ been this enraged. The closest was when Henry was kidnapped, but what she was feeling was a far more all consuming viciousness.

"Your lover?" Henry gasped, staring at them wide-eyed. He paused, then grinned, looking at his adoptive mother. "No wonder you looked so jealous about Walsh. When we talked about him at the park the other day."

Regina blushed and cocked her head at her son for sharing _that_ just then! Rather than address what he said, though, she said, "We _will_ win. Good always wins. Right, Henry?"

He bobbed his head, grinning, which made Regina blush harder. "Uh-huh."

"What are you two going on about?!" exclaimed the savior as she whipped around towards them, looking disappointed. "We should be figuring out a plan and going after them! Not placating me with generalities. And _you_!"

Henry rose a finger and pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Yes you! Stop grinning like that."

"Like what?" he replied, acting dumb because of course he was grinning again.

"Like _that_! _Yes,_ me and Regina are together, but that's not important right now," she urged. "And I'm glad your memories are back too, but we have to stop the Wicked Witch!"

Regina took Emma's gloved hands in hers, squeezing hard. "We will. Because I can remember, now, who cast the curse. And why."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Gold had a trick up his sleeve that will be explain in further detail next chapter! We also thought that displaying the glamour spell as such would be fun until it was dropped, when Emma's magic got nullified. It was fun trying not to confuse ourselves! Sorta... :p


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma freaks out, Regina calms her down. Robin and Regina chat. Zelena show up and proves she's even more malicious than previously believed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small warning - Robin dialogue but it's not what you think, we hope. And if it is, it's not bad! We promise =) I mean, after you read this chapter, there's going to be no easy way to break up our leading ladies.

" _YOU_ cast the curse?!" Emma howled at her mother, completely astounded that Snow White _killed_ Prince Charming, her father, in order to bring them back to Storybrooke.

"And you!" her accusatory tone slung right at her lover. "You … broke her heart in two so they could live?"

It was the most asinine thing she had ever heard. It was reckless, stupid, and just plain crazy. Her passionate rant was far from over. "Did it _ever_ occur to anyone in the land of fairy tales, of _all things_ , that there might have been someone _there_ that could defeat the Wicked Witch? _Murdering_ to get back to _me_ because I have light magic _?!_ What if Regina couldn't have saved David? You guys _never_ think about the consequences of your actions and jump to only one plausible solution!"

Regina flinched, then scowled. There had been the briefest of moments - as they stood before her cauldron - when Regina had realized she could have had her revenge! She _could have_ let Charming die, and then crushed Snow's heart when she'd held it in her hands. Regina could've let Zelena win, or had fought her one-on-one without them, high on the power of _finally_ winning. But, instead, she had done Snow's bidding and - along with them - kept faith that Emma would come and save them all.

"It was _their_ idea. And, true light magic users are as rare as magic beans. Look at Blue. And Tinkerbell. If they are the examples of light magic, you can see our dilemma."

"Oh like I'm any better?" the savior snapped back. "They've made some terrible choices, true, but that doesn't mean I should be placed on a pedestal. I've made some seriously shitty choices in my life too. Doesn't automatically make me the _best_ choice, Regina."

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to speak and Regina caught sight of her out the corner of her eye. She raised a hand to keep Snow quiet as she focused fully on Emma. "You have a history of undoing terrible curses in Storybrooke. They _don't_." She bit her lower lip, taking the risk of looking vulnerable in front of Emma's parents, her former enemies. It also silenced her lover, who apparently had a scathing retort on the top of her tongue. "And besides… _if_ we'd succeeded with the fairy brigade, none of us would have ever seen you again. You'd have continued on, blissfully unaware in New York. _With Walsh_."

Visibly sighing, Emma tried to emotionally detach herself and honestly ask herself if it would have really been that bad to have lived out the lies she was living in New York. The memories Regina had given them were false. Walsh was false. Yet, everything that she and Henry built together once leaving Storybrooke was real. In the scenario that the mayor was suggesting - where they defeated the Wicked Witch in the Enchanted Forest - Walsh may have been freed from Zelena's magic and have left, wanting to find a way back or home. Perhaps he would have stayed with her. Or maybe someone else could have tried to befriend or bed her as part of the next big crisis from the Enchanted Forest. It was all postulation anyway but at least in most of the scenarios, the people that cared about her wouldn't have been casting curses to get to her. Zelena, her parents, and now Regina had been making decisions about the outcome of her life once again. It was terribly selfish of her to feel like this, but it was just tiring to hear about the consequences of others acting in her best interest without ever having a say.

"Well, does it really matter anyway?" Emma didn't want head down that road of dark thoughts to spare Regina's feelings. "Gold was able to negate my power. If he's able to do it again, we're screwed anyway."

No matter how Emma professed to care for her, it was abundantly clear that Emma _still_ wished she was anywhere but Storybrooke. That's how Regina took it, and by the look on Snow and David's faces, they felt the same. It was only due to Henry's presence at this council of war in Snow's apartment that Regina bit her lip harder and held back what she might have snapped back at Emma. Baiting the woman and daring her to just _leave_ was not what she really wanted to happen... because she couldn't guarantee that Emma wouldn't do just that.

Henry cleared his throat, ready to interject his opinions on this, but that's when Snow cried out sharply. "Grandma?"

David immediately hovered by his wife, offering a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "Mary Margaret! What's wrong?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Baby! Oh no… the baby… it's coming! It's time!" she exclaimed, looking terrified. Their baby was Zelena's final ingredient, after all.

"Of course." Emma shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Of course she goes into labor."

Regina shot her a look and quickly worked with David to help Snow out to his truck. She was mildly impressed that they _did_ have a plan for this trip to the hospital, with to-go bags ready and what-not, but it also annoyed Regina that they were so organized about this. It was all for naught if her damned sister took the baby anyway!

Henry helped load the bags with his mother, who slapped the side of the vehicle once they were finished. "Regina and I will follow you to the hospital."

She glanced at her lover. "Figure we can do the same thing that we did here at the apartment and raise a protective barrier?"

Regina nodded. "Yes. And, that being said… Henry, I want you to stay here at the apartment. We'll update you with news about the baby, but it's safer if you're here and out of Zelena and her broom's flight path."

With reluctance, Henry agreed to it, but part of him wanted to argue that he was in no real danger anymore because Zelena had his mother's heart. The only target was his soon to be born aunt or uncle. Which was a crazy thought all by itself.

"All right. Just … be careful mom." He wrapped his arms around Regina's waist and hugged her tight.

"I'll try, Henry." She hugged him back, then looked grimly at Emma. "Lock the deadbolt and don't go out for anything or anyone until we give an all-clear."

"Yes, Mom," he said in that annoying know-it-all teenager tone before giving his birth mother a pained look. Emma hadn't even come to say goodbye to him before climbing into the driver's seat of the Bug. Regina lingered outside the yellow car a moment longer, memorizing her son's face and features. She waited until he'd gone into the building before climbing into the car and, with an effort, held her tongue. Turning the engine over, Emma waited for David to drive past them before pulling her car onto the main road.

"If you're so certain there's no way to defeat her, and that the life I gave you in New York was so much better, it's best if you drop me off at the hospital. Take Henry and _go_ ," Regina finally said in a shaky rush. It was clear she could hold her thoughts and feelings back no longer. "All that matters is his and your happiness. If that means it's _not with me_ , then so be it. I learned the truth in Neverland, after all: villains don't get happy endings."

"What. Wait. _What?!_ " Clearly caught off guard, the Bug lurched forward as Emma accidentally hit the brake. She recovered and sped up to tail David's truck and saw the peeking face of Mary Margaret from the back window, worried that something was wrong. Emma smiled and waved, alleviating any concern before sharply needling Regina for answers. "Where the hell did _that_ come from?"

"Well, your thoughts were written plain all over your face, dear. New York wasn't real, but it's clear that - no matter what's transpired between us - it's where you would rather be. Make the choice you seem to feel so denied of."

Looking disgusted with that answer, Emma managed to spare Regina a scathing glance. "Nice. So now you're making assumptions that based on how I looked, the inevitable conclusion is you're no longer my happy ending?" Tongue in cheek, she shook her head and was clearly holding back the first thing that had come to mind to follow that. "I had a lot of thoughts going through my head back there Regina. Leaving you wasn't one of them. So fucking try harder. If you want me gone, say so."

Regina sighed. "You know I want you here. Don't confuse the matter, or put this on me. If you believe you'd be happier out of Storybrooke, it's a choice _you_ have to make, Emma. That is all I'm trying to say. I can't force you to be here. I've learned that lesson by trying to make Henry heel to my parenting."

Emma was _so_ angry that Regina kept pushing a decision onto her that had long ago been made. In this moment of silent seething while processing this, the blonde didn't realize how badly she was white knuckling the steering wheel while trying to concentrate on driving. "What the _hell_ , Regina? I already made my fucking choice! Or wasn't us sleeping together enough? Or… or everything _else_ that's happened. Like, oh I don't know? Telling my parents off, kissing in front of the entire town, telling you I love you? Yeah because that all points to Emma Swan doesn't know what the fuck she wants with Regina Mills."

Regina frowned, looking down at her lap. "Then what was it about New York that is so compelling?"

"Being blissfully unaware of the shit in the world, or realms for that matter, has its perks," she confessed honestly. "If you got to forget every horrible thing that had happened and got a do over that almost negated all the bad choices in your life … just how can that _not_ be compelling?"

Regina bit her lip and inhaled deeply. "Being with _you_ is what makes me feel that way. I feel as if there's hope I can be the woman you deserve, the mother Henry needs... that I can atone for every atrocity I enacted. So, yes. I can understand that. _That_ is how I felt when we took the risk with David's life to get back to you."

"And _that_ is what I was - _am_ \- so mad about," she said, pushing back against the driver's seat like a bitter child. "Just another moment that people who care about me make ridiculous choices and I have no say. Or can't because of more ridiculous circumstances. It makes me tired of everyone risking their lives for me and having to be the one to clean up everyone's fucking mess."

"I'm sorry about the latter. But considering what Zelena intends, can you blame us?" Regina asked, sounding desperate. "Just think, Emma: if she succeeded in the Enchanted Forest, it's more than that you never would have remembered us. You would never have been born. _Henry_ would have never been born."

A slow, strangled, breath was exhaled as Regina's words slapped some sense into Emma, and tunneled its way past her fury. The savior visibly relaxed, loosening her grip upon the steering wheel and appeared perplexed. It barely registered for her to turn the Bug and follow her father's truck at the intersection.

"I … I know. You're … right. I …" She narrowed her eyes, looking distressed. "I don't know why I'm being like this. Why I'm so angry about everything going on. Maybe all of the stress at Zelena's farmhouse and having to give up your heart are making me stupid."

Regina reached over and squeezed her thigh. "The stakes of all of this are so high. And the pressure for you to perform, as the savior, is considerable. I don't take offense, dear. Nevermind that we're driving off to protect your parents' new baby. We can do this, Emma. I believe in you."

It was like a switch went off, immediately putting Emma back on the defensive, angry and guarded. "I thought I wasn't supposed to be the savior when it's just us," she snapped.

"Oh for heavens sakes. I'm not talking about how I see you. I just mean the pressure that's on you," Regina said, sounding exasperated. "Nevermind. Let's just do what we need to do here and stop my sister."

"Perfect. Means you'll finally stop talking," Emma mouthed back with a satisfying look.

Regina flinched again. "Emma, what is wrong? Really wrong?!"

"Well, for starters? You opening your mouth," she deadpanned.

"Stop the car. _Now_."

"What? Like hell I am! We need to get to the hospital," barked the blonde.

"Fine."

Regina went completely silent, battling the urge to poof away. She had grave concerns because Emma was treating her the way Leopold had behind closed doors. That _wasn't_ Emma and it scared Regina.

"Thank you," she said with a mocking raise of her hand because at least they had one point they could agree on. It was just Regina was really getting on her nerves all of a sudden and the less she spoke, the better.

Realization dawned upon her, disgusted with her own thoughts, and that was when Emma stopped the car as previously demanded. Green eyes looked around in a panic as she became keenly aware of how she was behaving. It was alarming and it scared Emma so deeply that she was visibly shaking.

"Oh my god, Regina. I …" she choked back a sob, trying to work her mouth into finish the sentence. "I … was just reveling in the fact you finally stopped talking."

"Most do that, dear," she replied indifferently, on guard now. "You'd best get driving or your parents will notice."

"Oh god, Regina. Please don't do this right now." She put the Bug in park towards the side of the road, not caring that her parents may start to panic, and shifted to look at her lover.

"I _need_ you right now because _something's_ obviously wrong with me," she implored, looking desperate as she banged a fist against the dash. "I … I don't _know_ why I feel like this towards you."

_Perhaps it is how you really feel after all,_ was the mayor's first thought, despairing. _After all, why not? Perhaps I was wrong in believing in the idea of love, let alone true love._

"Maybe... it was the darkness of Rumple's dagger," she managed, not fully buying the theory herself as she struggled with her feelings. "It's a powerful evil."

That shifted Emma's gaze away, working that theory through. She absently touched her shoulder where the wound had been magically healed, but perhaps some residual magical energy still lingered that was affecting her emotions?

_Leave it to me being Frodo stabbed by a Nazgul … great._

It wasn't as if Emma hadn't been vocal towards her parents in regards to how she felt they had mistreated her and her feelings. But Regina had done nothing wrong. Everything was going so well between them despite all of the barriers that were testing them.

"If that's true, how do we fix it, Regina?" she asked, lowering the hand touching her own shoulder to rest on her lover's thigh.

Regina sighed and sounded tentative. "Blue maintains that light magic will undo any dark magic. The power of a kiss seems to hold a great deal of weight in this town..."

"Regina …" Emma began, sounding like her usual dubious self. She had already confessed that she maintained the belief that romantic true love was nigh impossible for her.

The brunette shook her head. "Believe in us even if you can't believe in true love."

Emma;s phone was going off in her red leather jacket and she knew that if she didn't answer it, there would be mass panic on the part of her parents. Keeping her gaze locked with Regina's, she accepted the call and flinched. Mary Margaret immediately started on a worried rant between screaming in pain. The end of the scream was Emma's in before she was reintroduced to run on sentence Snow.

"We're fine. Me and Regina are talking magic plans that needed a minute and driving while talking just wasn't happening. We'll just poof there and meet you at the hospital when we're done." She ended it there and toss her phone on the dash with a sigh. "But true love is how this works. I do love you Regina. But I don't know …"

"Take it to your 'real' world then, Emma. This is just having faith in each other to withstand any hardship. Can you do that? Do you believe in our love that strongly?"

Closing her eyes, Emma let go of her grip on Regina's thigh and took her hand. "If I didn't believe that strongly in _us_ , I never would have kissed you to begin with …"

"Alright then." Squeezing her hand, Regina prayed this was enough and leaned close, gazing intently at Emma. "Kiss me, dear."

Opening her eyes, the savior immediately swallowed in trepidation. It was like Regina said, being who she was to so many people did put a lot of pressure on her. In this instance, it was disappointing the woman she loved if this didn't work. Because if it didn't, then everything that the mayor was expecting in a relationship with Emma Swan was going to deteriorate since it would no longer fit her version of a happy ending. Regina stated that Henry and Emma's love were enough, but was that entirely true?

She felt afraid of going ahead with this idea. It was vivid and loud inside her own head to back off and just drive them to the hospital. That she was a fool to have hope that Regina's love was enough to heal her, and that it was completely unrealistic that there were even side effects of being stabbed with the Dark One's dagger. Regina was just toying with her disbelief of true love and making fun of her, coming up with excuses for Emma's true feelings manifesting.

"No," she cried out, gritting her teeth - then blanched, eyes widening at Regina. "Not you no! To the kissing. Me no! I was - … You know what. Fuck it. You don't need to know what I was thinking and I'm making no sense."

Before she lost this burst of will, she cupped Regina's face and brought their lips together. The brunette didn't know if Emma had found her way to truly believe, but she felt like she had enough belief for them both… and that was one of the scariest truths of her life. Eyes closed, she wound a hand into her blonde hair, kissing her solidly. Emma instinctively moaned into the kiss before a heartbeat later, she felt a surge of magical energy rush through her. The fog of despair, suspicion, and underlying hatred that had embedded itself deviously into her soul upon the subconscious whims of the Wicked Witch had vanished. The Dark One's dagger had been the perfect magical conduit of transferring this accidental effect due to the jealously that the wielder held, but it was no match for true love's kiss. It was not the realm shattering curse that Emma had always envisioned, as she had no other to compare it to then the one she had shared with Henry, but it wasn't any less meaningful. Because of how easily she had been betrayed or too quick to love, to have the private intimacy of knowing this fact, alone, with Regina felt even more extraordinary. Emma Swan was capable of loving _this_ deeply.

Regina sighed into the kiss, feeling the rush of magic. She drew back and smiled at Emma. Even without her heart, her emotions were on a high, feeling sure that the kiss had done exactly what it needed to do. And, she hoped Emma finally understood what Regina realized all along: that they were indeed true loves.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"Yeah …" answered a dumbstruck Emma. "It ... worked. Even without your heart."

"Imagine how magical kissing will be _with_ it," Regina replied with an amused look.

With Emma back to being herself, she gave her lover a thoughtful look. "I'm being serious, Regina. Doesn't this kind of magic sort of need your heart? The deeply romantic rooted kind? And this isn't a complaint! I so happy feeling like myself again. Thanks to you."

"Magic is a whole-body experience. And it worked with Henry. So there was no cause to believe that it would not work with you. My true love." The mayor shifted her shoulders, smiling. "And you're welcome. I'm happy to see the light back in your eyes, Em."

"I'm so sorry …" she said, taking both of Regina's hands. "... for doubting you."

Regina squeezed them tightly, a patient look on her face. "You were… cursed. Essentially. The dagger, or its wielder, was just twisting your feelings. You didn't doubt. The dagger caused it."

"Oh Regina…" Emma's eyes lit up with so much love. She found it completely beautiful that the mayor misunderstood what she was apologizing for. "I wasn't saying sorry for doubting you since being stabbed. I was saying sorry for doubting that we were true loves."

"Ah!" Regina's filled with tears then, the smile widening. She answered that apology with a deep kiss, so happy that Emma understood and felt it as truth too.

Brushing fingers through Regina's dark hair, Emma eagerly returned the deep, but brief, kiss. They did have a baby to protect after all. David and Mary Margaret had to be at the hospital by now, which meant Zelena couldn't be too far behind.

"We have to go," she said with reluctance. "Otherwise, you know, baby sibling gets kidnapped and everything gets erased out of existence." With a smirk, she added. "Would kind of suck now and all."

"Indeed it would." Regina shifted back into her seat properly and nodded. "Let's go protect your family. And then, stop mine."

"Nah. I still want to poof there. Seconds matter," she explained, taking Regina's hand. "And for the record? When we're done with your sister, remind to punch Tinkerbell in the face. She started the doubting crap."

Regina couldn't help but chuckle at that. She focused her magic on them both, envisioned the hospital waiting room, and used her magic to transport them exactly where they needed to be. Without missing a beat, she took in the surreal sight of Robin Hood and his damned Merry Men guarding the lobby.

"Regina!" he exclaimed. "We might've shot you."

"Like you _almost_ shot her at the farmhouse?" snorted Emma.

"You might've tried. Make yourself useful and watch for my sister," Regina shot back. Still holding Emma's hand, she led her deeper into the hospital where they could place the protective wards around the maternity unit.

* * *

In the lobby, Robin Hood surveyed the positions of the Merry Men. They were as prepared as could be against the Wicked Witch and Dark One, ready to take aim upon those monsters once their lookout gave the word. Even with losing Arnold and having to retract on the promise of helping Prince David out in the woods, he felt obligated in protecting the unborn child when he saw the truck pull up at the hospital. Mulan had also accompanied them, restless in wanting to honor her fallen ally. Robin was just relieved that the two of them were back on speaking terms again.

Regina ran through a mental checklist, preparing herself for their inevitable arrival. Henry was safe. Emma was having a moment with her parents, and she hoped that would settle her true love's feelings about the soon-to-be-arrived sibling. They'd protected the maternity ward to the best of their ability and it ought to hold… but Zelena had flaunted her way through every other encounter, so Regina couldn't help but feel nervous. Arms folded over her chest, she took up her place in the corridor off the lobby, waiting.

Seeing the Evil Queen finally alone, Robin decided this was a good time as any to get something off his chest.  
"I'll be but a moment, Mulan." He patted her back and offered Tala a gentle pet along her feathered breast before lowering his crossbow to approach the mayor. "Regina? If I may have a word?"

Pressing her lips together, she stared at him seriously, thinking that he wouldn't come bother her now unless it was important. "What is it?"

"To be honest? I doubt you could ever know _what_ it is. But you've had to be curious as to why I've been coincidentally in your vicinity more often than not since we first met in Storybrooke? Or why I never left the castle despite the exorbitant amount of money and supplies to send me off back when we were in the Enchanted Forest?" he pressed.

"Well, you certainly weren't subtle about your stalking," Regina replied acerbically. Everything in her posture and expression made it clear that - as she had bigger fish to fry, namely her sister - she was not going to be distracted or intimidated by Robin. "So, what _is_ your grievance, Robin Hood?"

His mouth twitched, unimpressed with Regina's usual arrogance or wit. Shrewdly sizing up the former Evil Queen, Robin bluntly did as requested and aired his grievance. "You murdered my wife."

"I murdered a good number of people," she replied matter-of-factly. "Including my own father."

"Of course. So then you'll take no offense and understand that I had intended to murder you," he replied just as crisply. "My reason for all that incessant stalking and what not."

Regina chuckled darkly. The fact that he had a young son was the _only_ reason she didn't incinerate him for the threat.

"That's why you didn't want me to take the sleeping curse potion, hm? Wanted to do the job yourself?" she taunted. "Tinkerbell believed _you_ to be my true love. Pixie dust never lies. It would be just my luck that my so-called true love would want to kill me."

"Oh yes. The fairy was quite talkative about the night you betrayed her burgeoning friendship. About the pixie dust leading you to me. My tattoo. How you ruined my life because you didn't enter the tavern," he said with dramatic, sarcastic, flare. "Ironically, she _was_ right. You did ruin my life. But not until years later when you ordered Marian's death and left Roland motherless. _That_ was how. Not because you didn't enter some bloody tavern."

Regina's eyes narrowed slightly, studying him. She figured that Robin expected an apology, and she understood that she ought to… but, she had meant every word she'd told Pan back in Neverland. Regina Mills was not a woman who held onto regrets for every vile, evil thing she'd done. Right or wrong, each incident had led her closer to _her_ son. She wondered if Robin could comprehend that _if_ she bothered to waste her breath on explaining it to him, being a single parent himself.

The outlaw could see something going on behind those brown eyes, but he was unable to discern what. Her stance was rather neutral and it felt like the smallest of victories to not be looked down upon like some plebian crying out at injustice. What did bother him was her silence.

"Nothing to say?" he nods, figuring that it was the case. "Fine. Then I leave you with this. Despite my personal vendetta against you, I've decided that my quest in ending your life has come to an end. Mainly for Roland's sake, as I try to do good and be a role model for the boy. But word travels fast in this small town. _Specifically_ that the Savior and the Evil Queen were together? Imagine my surprise when it was confirmed by David himself when he asked for our assistance to watch over the town." As Charming had felt partly responsible for Arnold's death and had asked Robin to move his entire camp closer to the outskirts of the town to guard instead.

Regina was losing patience fast with Robin's never-ending monologue. _And you're bringing up my relationship with Emma why…?_

"Trying to be good for our children is what it is all about. Believe me, I _do_ understand that," she replied.

"And I now know that is the case with you," he admitted, finally reaching his point. "You're trying to be good. For your son. And to be fair, I don't believe the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White would fight so hard to be with you if she not only loved you, but valued you for what you are trying to do to better yourself."

Regina tilted her head. "Thank you."

His face scrunched together in thought, waiting … and continued to do so until it was abundantly clear that Regina had nothing further to say.

"Not that I'm begrudging the gratitude, but after everything I've just said, that's all _you_ have to say?" he asked perturbed.

She gave him one of her deadpan, clearly impatient looks then. "I appreciate what you've said, but I _do_ have a good deal on my mind. We have a witch to defeat."

"Yes, but she's not here yet. And I swear this town has little downtime. I still need this oppor-"

"The Wicked Witch and the Dark One are coming! The Wicked Witch and the Dark One are coming!" Grumpy's cry of alarm cut through as the dwarf barreled through the front lobby doors.

"Ah well there it is," Robin raised his hand towards the commotion. "The expected interruption. This conversation is not over, your Majesty."

Raising his crossbow, he left Regina's side and shouted. "To arms men!"

As often when their leader barked out orders like this, Mulan had to dubiously glare at him with an upturn brow.

"And of course, women," Robin correctly with a smirk.

* * *

"Here we are, my pet. It's time for the amateur hour," Zelena snarked as the Dark One shuffled behind her.

They rounded the corner and entered the hospital on the heels of Leroy's shouting. She wanted to laugh at the pathetic attempt before her. _Amateur hour indeed_. Hood was shouting to aim true, or fire true or some other rot; Zelena simply used her magic to incapacitate all of them in one fell swoop.

She removed the librarian as an obstacle easily, leaving Gold distressed. Zelena didn't care; he'd follow as he had no choice. And the _baby_ was nearly in her clutches! The witch rounded the last corner and found her sister staring her down.

"How adorable! Protecting your… what is it? Your would-have-been future brother-in-law?" Zelena sneered.

"You aren't-" Regina started.

Cora's eldest daughter merely flicked her wrist and tossed the mayor aside. Regina went down hard, collapsing against the tiles. Zelena stepped over her, tugging Gold along in her wake.

"It's time, my dear. The savior is the last line of defense," she chuckled, mockingly. "Nullify her."

Outside her parents room, Emma stood watch as Whale helped encourage Mary Margaret through another contraction. The baby would be here within seconds and all of the Charmings were safe behind the protection spell that she and Regina created. She just hoped that if Zelena managed to magically incapacitate her, the wards would still hold since both savior and queen had performed the magic together.

Just then, the cries of a newborn reached her ears. Emma turned around to see her sibling for the first time. David was grinning ear to ear as Whale announced it was a boy.

Gold winced as he spied the savior exactly where Zelena predicted. He clenched his fist around the necklace so tightly, his hand ached, the swan imprint denting into his flesh. He watched with regret as Emma realized that her power had again been sapped away.

The savior watched the barrier visibly ripple before buckling in on itself and disappear in a white flash.

"Shit." Green eyes shot angrily towards Gold. " _How_?! How the hell are you doing this?"

Zelena smirked. "Show her, darling!"

Looking anguished, Gold held out his hand, palm up, so Emma could see the small, silver necklace he held. It was the swan keychain that Bae had, apparently, given the savior once upon a time. It was enchanted and, with a bit of Zelena's dark magic twisting it, had the power to halt Emma Swan in her magical tracks.

The blonde couldn't believe what she was seeing because that necklace was supposed to buried six feet under when they lay Neal to rest. She extended a hand upwards and uncurled a finger that shakily pointed at the token that symbolized the love she had once shared with Gold's son..

"How did you get that?" She winced, not at all happy that her voice cracked. It pained her to show such weakness in front of Zelena, but this was unforgivable.

"Oh, tell her, my pet!" Zelena taunted.

Gold's gaze dropped to the floor, clenching the necklace in his hand again. His voice was ragged with pain when he spoke. "Ye don't need me to say how, Miss Swan. I'm sure you can imagine what she made me _do_."

Oh Emma could imagine quite a great deal with how malicious Gold's master was. She was willing to bet that Gold had to dig the necklace free with his own hands, commanded by that monster to defile his own son's grave. She couldn't take it anymore, Zelena's smug look of confidence, and regardless of how magically helpless the savior had become, she was going to remove that smirk off the witch's face.

"You fucking _bitch_!" Cracking Zelena across the face with a mean right hook, she tried to make a grab for the dagger.

Zelena took the punch, laughing through it with mad glee. She retaliated by throwing Emma across the hallway with a magical blast, same as she had done with Regina.

"Keep watch, pet."

And with that, she strode into Snow's room to dispatch the doctor and David, claiming the unnamed little prince as hers before Mary Margaret could even hold him ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully things weren't too rushed! We wanted the side effect that happened with Zelena and the dagger be the catalyst for Emma to realize that she was capable of true love - something that was always there. Why that was 'fixed' in this chapter. We figured several scenarios of what could have happened if it festered, and as angsty as our fic comes across at times, we didn't want to go the route of major angst that would have happened. Of course, we kinda made up for that with how Gold was able to negate Emma's power so ... I guess it evens out.
> 
> See you next chapter =)
> 
> Oh! And we might be continuing The Hearty Honeycrisp Apple ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even with being sick, managed to get this chapter done today. So while I recuperate and Cath works on Mastery degree type stuff, our updates might take a wee bit longer. Next update should be our Hearty Honeycrisp Apple for those following that story.
> 
> Nothing really to discuss about this chapter. It should speak for itself =) Please leave us any questions or comments and thank you for following along.

Regina's eyes went wide as saucers as she stared at David's pick-up truck. Henry had urged them to hurry, confident in his belief that Regina too would be able to wield light magic to defeat Zelena if needed. After the witch had just nullified Emma's magical abilities, it was a distinct possibility that they'd need a back-up plan. Regina wasn't sure if she _could_ do it, but cowering at the hospital would solve nothing. But, now, she _had_ to protest.

"I am _not_ riding in the back of that pick-up!" she huffed.

Emma was at the back of the truck, pulling on the tailgate so Belle could climb in the back, and shot her lover a dirty look. "Really? You're going to complain about seating arrangements when all of our existence is in danger?"

"I'm not going to wink out of existence while riding in the bed of a truck!" Regina exclaimed as if that was entirely rational. She scowled at Emma and stormed around to the passenger side, ignoring the looks that everyone gave her as she awkwardly climbed onto the bench seat in her tight dress and heels.

"I think you just got out voted, Emma," chimed Belle, clearly amused despite the gravity of the situation.

The savior threw her hands up, not even wanting to address the snide remark because it was pointless, and climbed into the bed with the librarian. Once the back passengers were secured, David shifted the truck into gear and peeled out onto the street, speeding towards their destination - Zelena's farmhouse.

It was the only logical conclusion where the witch would be. It was her base of operations and in her arrogance, feeling she had no equal, wouldn't take precautions against an attack. She had the Dark One under her command, Emma's powers were nullified, and had all of the ingredients for her spell. Victory was certain. Her hubris would assure confidence in defeating anyone, drunk with the power she possessed. Regina would be the only one that had a glimmer of hope in defeating her, but their fight on Main Street had shown _everyone_ who was the more powerful offspring of Cora Mills.

Regina stared straight ahead as David pulled up the long dirt driveway off the country road. She slid her gloves on snugly, intensely focused as they approached the farmhouse.

"There! They're in the barn!" Belle called through the truck's rear window.

"Of course. She'd need space to enact this spell," Regina said, thinking of the blazing fire pit she'd used to create her dark curse. To David, she added, "Hurry up."

He simply nodded and gunned it, knowing there wasn't any further need for subtlety. Belle and Emma gripped the side of the bed, being jostled around as the truck rocked against the uneven ground.

"So is there an actual plan besides crashing the party?" shouted Emma through the back window. "Or is that the plan? Running them over?"

"That could be particularly effective!" Regina shouted back.

In truth, she had no plan besides the obvious, central goal: stop her damned sister. How they went about it was going to rely on a lot of improvisation, Regina thought.

"We need to reclaim our elements, the symbols she's using!" she said. "However we have to do it."

"I'm _not_ driving through the barn! My son's in there!" David said in strict disagreement.

"The elements are important for the ritual, but Zelena's amulet is far more dangerous, Regina," reminded Belle. "Glinda said as much."

"She's right. If we can get that, then she doesn't stand a chance. The question is _how_?" The former shepherd stopped the truck just outside the barn, looking desperate and lost.

"I'll take care of the pendant. Somehow," Regina replied. "You three get the other items _and_ Rumpel's damned dagger."

She climbed out of the truck more easily than how she'd climbed in, smoothing her dress and flexing her gloves as she stormed toward the barn. With the doors arrogantly left wide open, it was easy to see the humbled Rumpel aligning each item in a rune circle while Zelena smirked at its center.

Emma hopped out the back and helped Belle down.

"Sure. I'll walk up to Gold and ask nicely for the goods." Realizing that the person she was supposedly talking to had already headed off, the blonde ran to catch up to her - David and Belle trailing closely behind. "Okay, Regina. Seriously. What the hell's the plan? We got your magic, two guns, and Belle. How are we really going to get Zelena's amulet and all of the items safely when she has Gold's dagger?" she pressed, pulling out her handgun.

"I don't _know_ ," she replied irritably. "Do I have to think of everything around here? We use _everything_ we have. Henry believes in us. In all of us."

"All right. _Fine._ One half assed plan coming up." Emma surged forward, gun at the ready and yelled. "HEY GREENIE!"

And opened fired, purposefully far away in the direction of her brother. Emma was crazy, but not stupid.

_Oh good god,_ Regina thought. _A bit more than what I meant by improvise!_

But, David and Belle used the diversion well and ran forward to try and retrieve the totems in Zelena's circle.

"Belle! No!" Gold cried out, anguished as Zelena directed his movements, forcing him to thrust she and David away with his magic. They crashed against hay bales to either side of the barn.

Regina stood in the entryway, waiting for her moment to act.

"You can't win, sis! This is _my_ happy ending, not yours!" Zelena chortled.

"Like hell she's not getting a happy ending!" Emma said, retaliating with a well aimed shot now that she had a good view of their adversary.

Zelena flinched with lightning-fast reflexes and shoved Emma away with magic, sending her careening toward the hay bales too. "Rumpel!" she shouted, glaring at the savior.

"It is done!" he snarled back, regret clear on his face at having to ensure Emma's magic was nullified.

Zelena looked to Regina, completely ignoring the others even though they'd begun creeping back toward her portal circle. While her sister was looking to her, Regina - however - was looking toward Emma, worried for her as well as needing her help. If the savior who had once tormented _her_ could be so casually tossed aside, what chance did Regina have? Emma grunted as she untangled her limbs and felt the eyes of her lover upon her. Still regaining her footing, she looked to Regina and her heart broke in seeing all of the mayor's insecurities drift across her features.

With the portal starting to gain in strength, blonde hair whipped against Emma's face from the force of the gale and had to use the hay bales for support. She could have said something, shouted even, over the turbulence the portal caused, but Emma Swan had been the guardian of Regina Mills heart - the most intimate act that the blonde had submitted herself to willingly. It was why no words were needed when their gazes met, validating the love and belief that the savior had in her true love - that she, alone, could defeat Zelena. The Wicked Witch had made a severe miscalculation because the savior was far from powerless. Magic was a tool that Emma had at her disposal, but her love - the true love she held for Regina - was more powerful than anything she could wield. Not even Gold could nullify that.

Zelena grabbed her sister by the throat with magic, hoisting her off the ground. Regina didn't struggle. She saw what she needed to see in Emma's eyes and felt magic surge through her.

"What are you doing?!" Zelena exclaimed.

"Proving you wrong," Regina growled.

She unleashed the magic coursing through her, blasting it through her palms at the witch. It knocked Zelena down and sent her skittering away from the portal. Regina fell and landed in a heap, hands just barely inside the circle. She watched Belle dive and grab Rumpel's symbolic brain as David went for his son. That was Emma's cue, too, and sprinted towards Regina's heart.

Zelena was screaming incoherently. Regina pulled herself to her feet and approached her. Brown eyes were fierce as she broke the pendant's chain and took the green amulet away from her. In a heartfelt victory, David was smiling down into the beautiful face of his son that he had barely held, relief washing over him that he was finally safe. He glanced up to see where everyone else was and watched Belle running to Gold.

"No Belle! Stay back!" Gold waved her off with a pained expression. "I can't guarantee your safety until the dagger's recovered."

Tearfully, she stopped and looked around for it, wanting this to be finally over so she could have her true love returned to her. She ended up gasping in surprise that Zelena no longer held onto it! Regina's blast had freed it from her clutches and the witch was currently unawares!

"Emma!" shouted the bookworm, needing to act quickly before the crazed woman realized she no longer controlled the Dark One.

The pendant in Regina's gloved hand grew warm, then positively hot. She hissed and narrowed her eyes but dared not let go. Sinuous green magic writhed from the pendant, clearly Zelena's magic, enveloping Regina before blasting out through the etches in the dirt. The mayor grit her teeth, realizing that the totems were too close, the magic too potent, and Zelena's will was still going to be done.

Emma looked up in alarm, fearing that her friend was in danger but also looked to Regina who was encased in the power of Zelena's magic.

"The dagger!" Belle exclaimed hurriedly, pointing towards it

_Need to trust Regina and get the dagger. Maybe Gold can help..._

Tucking Regina's heart safely into her arms like a pro running back, the savior sprinted towards the dagger, hoping that the sisters remained happily distracted by the magic coursing around them to steal it away. Zelena screeched as she watched her last bit of leverage about to vanish. Magical or not now, adrenaline fueled the witch to scramble across the hard-packed earth, trying to beat Emma to Rumpel's dagger. Eyes widening that Zelena was going for a last ditch effort, she glanced at Regina who was struggling with the amulet, knowing that her lover couldn't stop her sister right now. Dropping to her knees in mid run, Emma slid across the straw covered wooden floor and cracked Zelena across the face with her boot before the witch could reach the dagger.

"Shit!" Regina exclaimed as the portal opened mere feet behind her.

She leaped forward to no avail. The green vortex had her and the former evil queen found herself falling backward into the very land she had created her own curse to escape. With the portal finally opening, the residual magical energy of the totems were no longer required. David finally calmed his screaming son and Gold retrieved his wits. He poofed to his dagger and finally claimed control.

"Finally!" he said, eyes gleaming in victory as he held it, completely oblivious, or uncaring, to Regina's peril. His only altruistic moment was to drop the nullifying spell that had made Emma into a mere mortal because of what the witch had cost him in order to create this talisman.

"Regina! No!" Horrified, the savior reached out and grabbed the mayor's forearm, pulling with all her might to keep her from falling fully into the portal. She still had her heart! There hadn't been time to put it back yet and if Regina were sucked back into time without it, who knew what repercussions there would be?

"Shove my heart back inside me! Now!" Regina roared.

Emma was too afraid to act immediately, believing her powers hadn't been restored yet because she didn't feel any different. The force of the vortex was stronger than the savior's grip, pulling Regina and Emma into the swirling green. In her panic, Emma had no choice but to act or risk endangering her lover. Sliding helplessly across the floor, the blonde drew her arm back and looked at Regina apologetically, knowing this was going to hurt.

"Sorry!" she cringed and slammed the heart back into the mayor's chest just before they were sucked fully into the portal.

Just as quickly as it had opened, the portal shut behind them. The floor returned to dirt and Zelena screamed despite the agony in her jaw where Emma had kicked her. Gold charged toward the witch, holding his dagger out toward her.

"What have you _done?_ Oh god, what have you _done?!_ " he raged, seething for the loss of Baelfire, for his own enslavement, and now the catastrophe that was awaiting them all in their past. The air quaked with magical potential as he descended on Zelena. She flailed and tried to back away from him, helpless now.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" he screamed, intending to destroy her with the magical properties of the dagger, the same way that Zelena had _tried_ with Emma.

"Rumpel!" Belle cried, lurching forward, trying to reach out to him. "Don't! We may need her still! Emma and Regina!"

He turned back to her, looking savage. "I don't CARE about them! She killed my boy! She deserves to die!"

"I know you want revenge on Zelena," said David, holding his son against his chest. "Believe me, I get it. I'd struggle with it too if she had killed my son, but you can't lose sight of the bigger picture! Regina and Emma are in the past and the longer they're stuck there, the likelihood that something catastrophic happens to all of us grows. What if you lose Belle because of it?! Can you afford to lose both your son and the woman you love?"

Zelena kept trying to scoot further away, clutching her jaw with one hand. David's presence cut her off from further escape.

Gold turned toward David. "So… you'll just lock her up?! Are you _daft_? She nearly destroyed your babe!"

"Regina has her amulet in the past with her. I saw her still holding it. That leaves Zelena powerless here just as Glinda told us." David glanced down at the cowering woman near him and sighed. "Regardless of what's she's done, she can cause no further damage. But there's a chance she can help us get Regina and Emma back. I just can't give up on my daughter. Not again."

" _Please_ , Rumpel. Don't give in to your hatred," Belle begged. "At least let us get Regina and Emma back."

He looked at her incredulously. Pointing back at Zelena with the dagger, Gold exclaimed, "What is _wrong_ with you?! She's powerless! If they're going to find a way back, they'll have to bloody well do it themselves! And that's _if_ Regina can keep Miss Swan from stepping on the proverbial butterfly that condemns us all!"

"You honestly don't think she could think of a way to bring them back? Time travel was supposedly impossible. Yet she found a way! Who's to say she can't figure this out too?!" begged the prince, desperate and grasping at straws in order to get Emma back.

Gold looked at David venomously. "You're making a tremendous mistake, you fool."

He turned the baleful glare onto Zelena, who flinched with genuine fear. Then, the wizard turned and strode away. Belle paused, unsure how David would apprehend Zelena all by himself. She looked to the prince, torn.

"It wouldn't be my first, but at least I know in my heart I'm doing all I can in getting them back," David admitted, and then looked to Belle with trust in his eyes. "I know you want to go with him, but take my son with you. Back to Mary Margaret. She ... hasn't even really seen him yet."

"I will," Belle promised. "Can you, er… deal with her alone? I'm not a doctor, but I think her jaw really is injured."

He nodded, sparing Zelena a glance. She hadn't said a word since Emma's attack, which made David believe that Belle was right about how severe the injury was Normally she would be making threats and toying with them with great pleasure. Also, if she was going to help them, the woman had to speak. And, it was the right thing to do. They were better than Zelena's mad schemes and disregard for other peoples lives. "I'll bring her to the hospital so Whale can take a look at her."

Belle took the baby into her arms and sighed, adoring him. "Be careful, David. I'll tell Mary Margaret you're on your way…"

"And tell her not to worry," he said, grunting as he hoisted Zelena to her feet. The witch groaned with discomfort, but David would take care of her injuries. He just didn't promise to go about being nice about it while cuffing her. "I know she will, but I'm sure the little guy in your arms will help her stay put until I can join you."

* * *

The landing was hard. Very hard in fact. The breath had been knocked from Regina's lungs as she was still recovering from the jolt it was to fully _feel_ again, with her heart restored in her chest. She stared up at the tree canopy as the portal that had just been over them _vanished_. Regina pocketed the amulet for safekeeping.

_I know these woods. We're back in the Enchanted Forest. Oh hell, here we are. But_ when _are we?_

Emma rolled over and coughed violently, trying to catch her breath. She had landed on her stomach and it was difficult to stop from retching. Yet even through the pain, there was only one thing on her mind - the safety of the woman whose heart she shoved back into her chest.

"Regina …?" she gasped before another coughing spell took over.

Regina nodded. "I'm okay. Let me help."

She waved a hand over Emma's back to soothe the discomfort, to ease her coughing. Then, she dropped her head back into the clover and stared up at the trees, trying to wrap her head around what had happened _and_ the feeling of being fully herself again.

Pushing herself onto her knees in the underbrush, Emma inhaled deeply as the magic mitigated the damage of the fall. "Thank you. Much better."

Now she could finally become conscious of her surroundings and looked around. With the knowledge that Zelena wanted to change the past, the blonde could only conclude that she was in the Enchanted Forest, but it wasn't in any part that she remembered when she last inadvertently visited. Of course, most of the area was uprooted because of Regina's curse then.

"So … any idea where and when we are exactly?" she asked inquisitively, hoping her lover had a clue.

"Shh," Regina replied, concentrating as she too sat up.

Brown eyes narrowed as she took in their surroundings, trying to answer Emma's question. Quietly, she rose and beckoned for the savior to follow her. Instinctively, she avoided a direct line of sight from the road as Regina had a definite idea of _when_ they were. She crouched behind a thick bush that would hide them while they had a decent view of the poor village.

Regina sighed and bowed her head. _Of course._

"We are roughly a year before you'll be born," she said, finding it surreal to say that. Looking at Emma, stricken, she added, "And… we're about to watch me condemn Robin's wife to death."

"What?" The savior looked dazed in hearing this and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder. She then peered through the branches, trying to take in the scene before her. There were guards dressed in black armor, herding the villagers together and keeping watch. But, there was no sign of past Regina yet. "Are you sure you got this right? I don't see Queenly you."

Regina studied the soldiers. With the face obscuring masks they wore, they were almost anonymous. She recognized those that she'd bothered to know - a number which she could count on one hand - and knew for sure this is _when_ they were. She nodded to Emma.

"My carriage is coming," she whispered. "Just wait."

Though hardly saintly or good - at least in her own eyes - Regina knew she was a different person now from who she'd been as the Evil Queen. And it sickened her that Emma was about to witness that.

"Oh, no. I'm an idiot. Get back. Now. Now!" she hissed, grabbing Emma by the arm, dragging her deeper into the woods.

_What would happen if I_ saw us _right now? We have to be careful to not affect the past!_

Emma finally pulled her arm free from the brunette's grasp and shook it loose. "Hey! What the hell, Regina? Usually I'm the idiot. But ... seriously. I'm not going to judge you." She pointed at the direction of the road. " _That_ woman isn't you anymore."

Regina shook her head impatiently.

"It's not that. Well, it's partly that, but more importantly, we can't let my… evil regal self… _see us_." She widened her eyes meaningfully, and gestured at her own appearance, then pointed at Emma. "You and I met when you brought Henry home. We _can't_ meet here, years earlier! We need disguises just to get by in this land… until we can figure out a way to get home."

That made the savior calm herself and lowered her arm. "Point taken. We can't go gallivanting around the Enchanted Forest without causing a riot. One Regina's enough right?"

She made a face at that, expecting that was Emma's attempt at diffusing the situation with humor. Regina sighed, remembering how hard it had been to learn glamour spells; Rumpel had mocked her that her mother was good at it, while she'd struggled.

"I'll use the glamour spell we used on Zelena, making us look like we _belong_ here," she said. "But, we still need to keep a very low profile. Anyone we interact with, anything we do here… it can cause an unimaginable ripple effect."

The rumble of hooves and her carriage could be heard which made her crouch lower. Emma hunched closer to Regina, knowing she had to pay close attention because the stakes were that much higher being in the past. Firing guns at ogres were one thing, but they could accidentally change their future. If the Evil Queen saw her face now, how would their actual first encounter have gone? She didn't want to think about the repercussions because maybe then, Regina would have outright killed her.

"Okay. Yeah. Like your vault. Don't touch anything. Except, don't talk to anyone either. Got it." She gave the mayor a nod. "All right. Let's do this and get out of here while the you here is distracted."

Regina nodded her agreement and focused her energies. She changed their appearance just enough to keep them from being recognizable or memorable, garbing them in modest peasant attire.

"Alright. That'll do."

But now, it was too late to beat a hasty escape through the woods. With her regal self present, the soldiers would be on even higher alert. Blending in closer to the village now actually made more sense. Regina gulped, hating to see who she'd been, and hating worse that Emma was about to see. Henry's storybook had painted a far glossier picture of who the Evil Queen was than what was reality. She hated that Emma was going to realize that now.

"Hey," the blonde whispered and rubbed Regina's arm. She could sense that her love's thoughts were troubled even before green eyes gazed upon her features. Emma wondered if it was a residual effect of having her heart. "What's wrong?"

"Just watch," Regina replied, distressed.

From their hiding spot, they had a perfect view of Queen Regina as she gracefully exited her carriage, the maroon velvet jacket and black leather pants hugging her curves. A large-brimmed hat was set at a jaunty angle, and Regina winced at seeing how smug she was, knowing what she intended to do here.

Emma was entranced by Regina's Queen persona, even though she knew she really shouldn't be - but she had _never_ seen Regina wear anything even remotely close to that skin tight number. Form fitting power suits were one thing, but _this_ was a whole new level of _fucking incredibly beautiful_.

"Holy Shit…" she gasped.

"Watch," she whispered again. "And _shh_."

Queen Regina made a production out of terrifying and humiliating the peasants as one of her soldiers hauled an olive-skinned brunette forward. She had to look away, realizing without a doubt that this was Robin Hood's wife, whom she had captured and killed because of her refusal to divulge Snow's whereabouts. Despite Emma's mind completely going off on a tangent by the presence of the Evil Queen, her expression darkened as the scene unfolded. She had witnessed the ruthlessness of the mayor first hand and even read what the queen was capable of, but it did not prepare her to see the cruelty with her own eyes.

"That still isn't you." Emma said adamantly, squeezing her love's shoulder. "Not anymore."

She shifted her hand to rub Regina's back softly, hoping that there could be comfort in her words or touch, as Emma looked to her. Never would she condone anything Regina had done in her quest for vengeance, but it was her past. It was what molded Regina into the woman she was today. A woman with an incredible capacity to love and prove she could become a better person deserving to be loved in return.

The guards dragged Marian out of sight and Regina bit her lip, realizing the opportunity that had been placed before her. Robin loathed her for what she'd done to his wife. While Regina didn't care about _that_ , she was conscious of the fact that Roland was growing up without his mother because of her bloodlust for Snow White.

_And it's now truly in my power to fix this._

Regina frowned contemplatively. She knew Emma would object on the same grounds that it was too dangerous; they were tampering with the past if they attempted to do anything to help Marian. But, if Marian was to die anyway, her mere absence would be equal to that. _When_ they found a way home, Regina thought Marian could come along and be reunited with her family.

She looked at Emma. _Alright. Maybe she's right. The queen_ isn't _me anymore. I'm doing the opposite of what she would do._

"We should move from here," Regina whispered. "Go back to the road and figure out how to get home…"

The savior agreed, aware of Regina's internal conflict but unable to specifically know what debate was going on in her head. "Yeah. Between you and the guards focused on the villagers, this might be our best chance to sneak out of here. Do we have enough time to distance ourselves from here? Just in case the guards find us and are suspicious."

"Let's move swiftly. Walk where I walk so we don't snap a twig by accident."

After all, she'd heard the stories of Emma's last visit to the Enchanted Forest and her penchant for annoying both ogres and giants! Turning away from the sight of her younger self, she started to lead Emma through the woods and back toward the Queen's Road as the plan began to take shape in her mind. Emma took Regina's warning seriously and did as asked, not even sparing a second glance to the sight behind them to focus on where she was walking. The guards were busy taking prisoners on the Queen's orders but if anything suspicious happened, they would sweep the area without a second thought - hoping that it perhaps Snow White was near.

Even as the guards and cowering villagers voices were muffled with distance, Emma kept her voice low when they finally emerged from the forest and onto the road. "I've got a feeling you know where we're going? Or at least, I hope you do."

Regina gave her a sidelong glance and nodded. Emma would hate this, if she had told the savior what she was really doing. Finding magic enough to make a portal home, rescuing Marian, and… if it came to it… using the glamour spell-affected Emma as bait for the Evil Queen herself if a distraction became necessary.

"Yes. We're going to need the resources of one of the two most powerful magic users in this realm. That's Rumpelstiltskin. Or… me. So, we're going to break into my castle ..."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Regina are stuck in the Enchanted Forest in the past! Regina has a tentative plan until the unthinkable happens...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! We're done being sick and kinda busy. Though, we're still busy ;) However, a meaty chapter update for all you lovely readers. I'm sure this will be worth the wait. Please let us know what you think!

"What?!" Emma lost all pretense at being quiet and stomped right up to her, kicking up stones and dirt in her wake. Regina's plan was absurd! "Are you crazy? If we get caught, we're _going_ to be fucked - let alone doing who knows what to get inside! We might mess things up in the future. There's … too many variables to consider." Looking confused, the blonde furrowed her brows. "And … how the hell am _I_ being the reasonable one in all of this? _You_ should be the one convincing me _not_ to break into your castle. Not the other way around!"

"Would _you_ rather go and talk with Rumpel? Remember that it was _his_ hidden agenda that led me to create the curse in the first place. Would you rather risk me, or explain to _him_ what a mess we have on our hands?" Regina shot back. "Believe me, I'd rather deal with the… _evil…_ version of myself than deal with him at all in this land."

Emma's demeanor was more considerate and quiet as she approached this from Regina's perspective. In all honesty, who better to dodge any lasting ill effects with the Regina from now, than Regina herself? With the storybook and Emma's own dealings with Gold, he would want reassurances for his help without requiring a deal, or - more than likely - force them into a deal. And if the glamour spell didn't fool him, seeing Regina here could set up some major consequences and require more detailed explanations then they would be prepared for.

"I said I trust you. And I _do_. You just … can't blame me for freaking some since you want to sneak into your castle," she relented. "Well … I've broken into more sophisticated places before. That's a bonus. And you know your castle. So … you think we can really do this without causing too much of a stir with the guards and stuff?"

Regina nodded. "I know ways around the castle where we can move about unseen."

_Do I tell her about the plan to rescue Marian? If she thinks breaking into the castle is bad…_ she mused. Regina gave her a sidelong look, then decided it was best to just be honest.

"I have an additional reason to go into my castle: Marian. Back then…" She sighed heavily. "I had her killed for her defiance and her refusal to give up your mother. This is my chance to rectify that…"

The blonde didn't say anything, only closed her eyes with a sigh because the situation was awkward. Regina had killed the wife of her supposed soul mate, pixie dust-chosen, true love that Tinkerbell had pointed out. It explained the recent dirty looks Robin Hood had been throwing at the former evil queen, and Emma by default. She was still ignorant of the pair's private conversation and did not realize that was a partial motivating factor in rescuing Marian as well. This made things more complicated but Emma Swan was not about to let someone die. Not if they could save them. Not if Regina was trying so hard to be good and fix a mistake of her past.

"I'm all for this, but … Regina? We can't just rescue her and let her go! Even I know that could mess things up big time," she said, accepting the plan but not the outcome. "Unless ... " Green eyes glanced over at her lover inquisitively. "Are you planning on bringing her with us?"

"Yes. She'd _have_ to come with us. And the only way she'd be willing to is thanks to the glamour spell. She'd never know it was _me_ from the future, doing… well, doing the right thing." Regina's mind was racing now that she had Emma's support; truthfully, she had been anticipating a fight. "It will be tricky to get to the dungeon to rescue her, but once we're within the castle… we can obtain the magic we need, then get her out."

"So … we sneak in, grab magically needed items in your you now's stash, get to the dungeons to free Marian, and then get the fuck out before _you_ know there are shenanigans going on in your castle." She shrugged and laughed in dismay. " _Totally_ simple. Especially since we don't know what we need from your version of the vault here to get back."

"Well-"

The pounding of hooves on the hard-packed road coming up behind them hard and fast cut Regina off. Brown eyes went wide, knowing that _had_ to be her carriage. She thought they'd had more of a lead on the Queen's timeline than they apparently did.

_Shit._

"Get to the side of the road. Now. Bow your head as she goes past," Regina said in a rush. "Do _not_ look up. She... I _… she_ … wants obeisance. Just keep your head down. We'll be seen as peasants and the Queen will keep moving. And… if the worst happens and she should stop for some reason, let _me_ do the talking, alright?"

Emma's heart pounded against her chest as they quickly moved to the side of the road. She kept close to Regina and nodded fervently. "Yeah. I got it. Bow my head and shut up. You do all the talking."

As the carriage just came into view, the savior immediately bowed her head, eyes fixed to the ground. She reached for Regina's hand and squeezed, needing that extra incentive not to do something inadvertently idiotic, knowing what was at stake here.

Regina squeezed back, a feeling of dread spreading through her. _Please keep going, don't stop. Nothing to see here. Just keep going, Regina!_ she thought.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt and the mayor of Storybrooke cursed under her breath, squeezing Emma's hand harder. Wanting to help her lover through this now impending interaction, she whispered, "Only look up if and when we're addressed. Go for humility. Remember I… she's known for killing anyone who shows defiance. We don't need to find Marian by ending up in an adjoining cell."

_Oh fucking hell! The carriage stopped!_ Emma's mind had been racing but it was Regina's calm, nurturing, voice that helped the savior steady her thoughts and give her direction through this crazy awkward situation. With a death grip on her lover's hand, she whispered back, swallowing her trepidation. "Got it. Thank you …"

Though she had signaled the halt, the Queen did not immediately disembark her carriage. She waited for several heartbeats, studying the hand-holding peasants with a critical eye. Gaze narrowed, she nodded to her guard who then opened the door for her and helped her out.

_There is something about them… about_ her…

"Ladies, well met," she said, studying them closely. "What brings you down the Queen's road today?"

Squeezing Emma's hand, Regina looked up then and sketched a quick curtsy, making sure to do it with a peasant's awkwardness and _not_ in a courtly way that could betray them. Emma followed suit, knowing that this was respectful form in honoring your sovereign, and didn't have to phone it in. She was all kinds of clumsy in performing her curtsy - needing to grip Regina's hand tighter as she lost her balance. The brunette grabbed her harder, pulling her upright.

"Your Majesty. We're traveling the Queen's road to visit the market on the morrow," she replied, feeling faint at how incredibly ridiculous this was, talking to herself. Regina prayed that Emma's awkward antics didn't get them into trouble! "I hope we did not inconvenience your journey with our being on the road."

Tilting her head, the Queen's gaze dipped to their still-held hands. She lifted a perfect eyebrow, shifting her gaze back to make eye contact. There was a definite edge to her voice as she asked, "Lovers?"

Whether it was her Regina, or the Evil Queen, Emma knew that tone and it wasn't going to be pretty if they answered incorrectly. Beating Regina in answering, Emma responded with the first thing that came to mind.

"No, your Majesty. Sisters," she said, forgetting to lift her head up.

Queen Regina nodded once, but still looked pensive and curious about them. She came to a decision and decided to attempt a friendly demeanor. Why not? It had been a very productive afternoon.

"Since we are traveling in the same direction… why don't you journey with me? I've had a _very_ good day," she smirked, "and would not mind sharing my carriage for a change."

_Oh hell_ , Regina thought. _Talk about changing the past! What is she doing? I never picked up strangers! Well, except the time I walked with Belle in order to toy with Rumpel… oh, this_ cannot _be good_. _I've only done that if I had an agenda. Oh no._

"We'd… be honored, my Queen," Regina replied because she knew there was nothing else they could say. To refuse her would be to sign their own death marks.

Emma wanted to look at _her_ Regina for any measure of comfort and what the plan was then, just get in the carriage with the Evil Queen and wing it! But what else was there to do than stick with the known plan - "Shut up and let Regina talk." Granted, she already failed once at that part, but her quick wits managed to temper the Queen _and_ she was actually respectful in doing so!

"Yes. Thank you, your Majesty," added Emma, figuring it was good to show solidarity in getting to hitch a ride with the ruler of the Enchanted Forest.

_I'm going to be surrounded by Reginas. This is like a good fantasy gone really bad, really quick. Ugh._

The Queen smiled her terrifyingly charming smile and walked back to the carriage, knowing they would fall in line. The guard's expression was unreadable as she climbed aboard, taking the forward-facing seat. She looked toward the open door as the sisters boarded, trying to figure them out.

Regina slid onto the bench across from her younger self, keeping her gaze averted once more. She could see, though, that the Queen could've cared less about her. Her brown eyes were riveted to _Emma_. Alarm rippled through the mayor, recognizing _why_ they were invited to travel with her.

_Oh god, no. She has a thing for Em too?! Oh hell… that's what I get for even entertaining the idea of her being bait!_ Regina thought. _Why can't I just think us home then?_

Sliding in beside _her_ Regina, Emma folded her hands onto her lap to avoid doing anything nerve wracking with them - twiddling or rolling her thumbs, tapping her legs in some crazy tune, or even hold her lover's hand. That already warranted enough scrutiny on the road that she rather avoid any further probing questions. As per informed protocol, she kept her eyes away from the Queen and watched the guard locked up the carriage.

_Well, at least I got the window seat! Small favors._ Unfortunately, Emma failed to realize that the carriage had windows on either side for that comment to make any sense, far too rooted in looking in the opposite direction of Regina's regal self.

"What are your names?" the Queen asked, looking at Emma still.

Regina pursed her lips, realizing that Emma was going to need to respond. She gave her a gentle elbow to the ribs, hoping she got the hint that the plan had just changed again.

_Oh, great. Now she wants_ me _to do the talking? Really?! Need to think quick._

Looking up, Emma was startled that the Queen was already focused on her. Even though she had said very little and acted in deference to her so called sister. She had to think fast because another second hesitation and Queen Regina was going to become suspicious. So, she went with the first names that popped into her head from a show she had watched not too long ago.

"Well, I'm … Helena, your Majesty," she answered quietly, "And this is my sister, Myka."

Regina crooked an eyebrow at her. _Helena and who?_

The Evil Queen barely glanced at Myka before looking back at Helena. "Lovely. Are you from a nearby village? You seem quite familiar to me, but I cannot place either of you."

"No, your Majesty. We're some days walk from here," Regina said, inserting herself into the conversation to try and help Emma.

Smiling at the mayor, Emma hoped her relief didn't show as her attention went back to their queenly hostess. "We come every other month to the market. So we don't travel the road that often."

"I see," she replied, still gazing at Helena. "And do you have lodging arranged when you reach the castle? I am aware that the inns often fill on the larger market days and you two have indeed a late start..."

"Well, uh … we usually end up finding a place to stay." Emma looked at her 'sister' fondly. "Myka's a difficult one to say no to, Majesty."

A fact that was quite true considering it _was_ Regina. Which also meant that Regina as Queen was impossible to say no too, and Emma failed to consider why the young monarch was questioning them so. Or why they were even getting a ride from the ruler. They were _just_ peasants.

This moment was where Queen Regina should've looked at Myka, or made some comment to her wiles or her powers of persuasion. But, she didn't. She continued to focus on Helena instead. "Would you allow me to provide you hospitality when we reach my castle?"

Storybrooke's Regina dropped her head, chin nearly hitting her chest. One might've thought she'd dropped off to sleep, but it was because she was trying to reduce the chance of her queen-self seeing her roll her eyes!

_How transparent can she be?! I wasn't so obvious, was I? Really?_ she thought, incredulous. Regina paused and thought about how she had treated the Huntsman, then shifted her gaze out the window. _Yes, I suppose my style has been rather tactless._

_Why isn't Regina talking?!_ panicked Emma, so happy that her years of keeping cool under stressful situations wasn't giving her away. Unfortunately, there was only one correct answer to this dilemma.

"But ... your, Majesty? Your hospitality … is far too generous for peasants such as ourselves …" she said, bowing her head in respect and hoping that the Queen would take the comment in a positive light.

Regina watched the Evil Queen's expression closely, remembering that she had her own magic. If her regal self did something rash, Regina could poof them to safety. It would tip their hand and cause enormous problems, but it'd be better than dying at her own hand! She hoped. But, the Queen just looked perplexed by the polite deferral.

"I was thinking, perhaps, we could share a drink and you could tell me about the village you come from," the Queen said, sounding charming and unperturbed. "I'd offer accommodations for your sister, of course, while we meet."

_Oh hell no…_ Regina thought. _She means to split us up! But wait! That would give me time to work out what sort of magic we need, and spring Marian. But, Emma?!_

She looked at Emma, eyes wide, not really knowing what to say or how to advise she respond. What Regina decided on was a vague, "Our sovereign is quite generous indeed."

Looking between Storybrooke Regina and Queen Regina, Emma was at a loss as to what was really going on. She lingered on her lover for a moment, not really getting a feel for her current emotional state. Just the same surprise she was feeling.

"I … uh …" she blinked at the regal visage of Regina sitting on the opposite bench before looking away. "Our Queen is. Yes."

_Well, at least we don't have to break into the castle anymore …_

The queen arched an eyebrow. "I trust that means you accept my hospitality... _Helena_?"

_Just purr her name. Her FAKE name!_ Regina thought, resisting the urge to laugh. _I know her real name! She's MINE, Regina! Not yours! Oh hell, I am losing my mind!_

The way that the Queen said her alias sent a shiver down her spine because it was oh so familiar. _Oh no. Oh hell no! Even_ here _, in disguise, Regina has a thing for me?! Shit!_

Emma saying no wouldn't work. The Queen would take offense and kill them without hesitation. Of course Regina could get them to safety, but then they would have to go to Gold for help because the kingdom would be in an uproar trying to locate them! Regina was adamant about avoiding him here.

"I uh …" she looked away, flushed for an entirely different reason than merely having the attentions of the queen. _This is cheating on Regina. With … Regina? How the hell can I do this and keep our cover without it going too far? Shit!_

"Y-yes… your, Majesty. I do." Emma saw no other option than to agree, hoping that her lover made quick use of the time given to her to get what, and who, she needed in the castle.

The Queen's smile deepened with satisfaction that Helena submitted willingly; it would've been tragic to have to force her compliance. "Delightful. I'll see to it that your sister has fine accommodations to rest in while we talk… you'll both be my guest."

Regina's head was spinning. This was - more or less - what she'd originally been plotting! But, now that it was playing out, she was plagued with doubts. Could Emma really survive against her evil self? She'd risen admirably to the challenge in Storybrooke when Henry had first brought her to town, but she'd been a Regina-without-magic when they'd first met. Would she be able to deal with her magical, and far more agonized self?

Gathering her wits, Emma looked directly at the Queen and spoke with more conviction than the meek peasant girl just seconds ago. "Thank you. You've gone far above any expectations we had on this venture to the market. Will I have some time to say goodbye to my sister before we're parted, Majesty?"

_Good one, darling,_ Regina thought.

The Evil Queen eyed them again, still feeling like there was something more to them than mere sisterhood. Then, she shrugged. "You two are quite close, aren't you. Yes, of course, it's not as if I'm making you my prisoner. You can visit and make arrangements for the market or whatever you may need."

"Thank you, again," she said with some relief and fought the sudden urge to take Regina's hand. The Queen had commented on their faux relationship once again, and she didn't need to add more fuel to her continuing curiosity.

"Yes, thank you, Majesty…" Regina murmured.

The rest of the journey proceeded smoothly, with the Evil Queen asking polite, curious questions of them both, but mostly of Emma. Regina was just glad that her love managed to respond without getting them incinerated! That was promising.

The carriage swept swiftly onto castle grounds and the two "sisters" were led into the castle as part of Queen Regina's entourage. She paused at the intersection that led to the guest quarters and smiled darkly.

"You'll be quartered here," she told Myka, thinking the woman's appearance was quite haggard. _How can these two be related?_

"Helena, dear, the guards will escort you to my suite when you're ready. Don't be long," the Queen said meaningfully.

"Of course, Majesty," Emma said with a curtsey - which was far more successful than the first.

Regina had to be cautious to _not_ walk around like she knew where she was going. After all, she'd _just been here_ \- in present time, of course - when Pan's curse had sent them all back to the Enchanted Forest. Trailing behind the guard that was set to guide them (and likely watch her, she realized), she mused on the irony that - weeks ago - she had been fending off Robin's advances here and snarking at him, and _now_ , she was on a crazed plot to rescue _his wife_ from herself!

Her queenly self had at least given her a choice suite to retire in while she "talked" with Emma. She sighed and slumped her shoulders, needing that moment of privacy to feel her exasperation and fear for them both.

"Oh, Em… what a damned mess," Regina groaned.

With the guards behind them, Emma felt safe enough to take her love's hand. "I _don't_ want to do this. You just have to do what you need to do and rescue me before anything happens," she said stubbornly.

Regina searched her gaze.

"I'm _so_ sorry you have to see me like this. That I'm… that _she_ is so interested." She sighed. "I'll work as swiftly as I can. I promise. And I'll find a way to get you away from _her_. Just… try and remember that this is the _me_ who hurt _so_ badly that she enacted the curse. Yes, this is the woman who separated you from your parents, but her actions also led you to Neal so that you could have Henry."

Regina put on a sad, but brave smile, repeating sentiments that Emma had tried to impress her on her transition from Evil Queen to Regina the Redeemed.

"Please try to be gentle with her, as you've learned to be with me. She is so more much damaged," she whispered.

"I don't have any problems sharing the same space as her. I know she's you," Emma said quietly back and put on an equally brave face. "You don't need to remind me of that. I'm glad to hear you finally say all of that though. That you _know_ that really isn't you anymore."

Now her expression darkened, the savior looking positively stricken with uncertainty. "I … just don't know if I can _be_ with her like I am with you. It's hard separating all of that with the intimacy. She isn't exactly the woman I fell in love with yet ..."

Thus far, Emma had yet to see anything from the young Queen that would equate her to the mayor she fell in love with. Henry had ten years to temper the hole in Regina's heart, and that hadn't happened yet.

Regina blushed and squeezed her hand hard. "I love you so much for saying that. Truly."

She wanted to embrace her, but as sisters, it wouldn't make sense to be that showy with emotion. Or at least, Regina didn't think so. It was better to be cautious.

"Be careful. I'll come get you as quickly as I can."

Squeezing back, Emma subconsciously knew to follow her lover's lead and not embrace her, despite how badly she craved the contact. "You too. I really don't want you sharing a cell with Marian. Means I'll actually have to become a White Knight like Henry says I am and come save _your_ ass."

She gave the mayor a cocky grin, knowing that her lover had all of her magic at her disposal, but it was fun to paint the picture of being that kind of hero for a moment before letting Regina's hands slip away. Turning to the guards, Emma nodded. "I'm ready to see the Queen now."

* * *

As Emma walked off into the likely arms of her younger, evil self, Regina forced herself to walk into the guest suite. She couldn't _think_ about what was going to happen or how Emma was going to handle this. Regina _had_ to focus on several objectives that now faced her and her alone.

_Find a magical item that can get us home. Free Marian. And slip a forgetting potion into the Queen's wine because I_ cannot _remember who Emma is when she comes to Storybrooke for the first time!_

Of course, right now, the Queen couldn't see the true Emma because of the glamour spell. However, she was one of the most powerful magic users in the realm, so Regina realized there was a chance that the Queen might realize _that_ was what was odd about "Helena." She couldn't take the chance that the evil regal would strip away the spell and see Emma for herself.

_I_ have _to make her forget this whole encounter with us_ , she thought. _I have to._

Gathering her nerve, Regina decided to make good use of her knowledge of the castle. She pressed her hand to a crest that adorned the wall, stepping back as a hidden panel opened to reveal a passageway. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside and climbed the long, winding secret staircase up to the Queen's tower ...

* * *

Walking in the middle of her guard escort, Emma's was working on calming her agitated mind as they approached the Queen's personal quarters. She knew Regina could take care of herself - using her magic discreetly if required and knowing all the ins and outs of the castle - but the blonde couldn't help fret. The mayor had tasked herself with finding a way home and freeing Marian, which were no simple feats!

_I need to be the distraction for as long as I can to buy Regina time. There's just no other way. She can easily manipulate anyone in the castle to get what she needs. Of course that means the Regina I'm about to have drinks and chatting it up with will probably be doing the same with me._

As her mind raced, Emma's heart didn't think that was entirely true. The Regina from here seemed more curious about her than anything else, even more amused at Emma's polite refusal of staying in the castle.

_And she even let me see my 'sister' before heading up to see her. So … I don't know._

Approaching the Queen's chambers, the lead guard knocked and announced their presence sharply. Emma fidgeted with her fingers, cracking her knuckles while fully processing what the most probable outcome of the situation were to be.

_This is still your Regina. The woman you're going to fall in love with. She even made you believe in true love. She's just lost like you were growing up ..._

As Helena arrived, Queen Regina had removed her wide-brimmed hat and stood at her balcony, staring out at the kingdom. There was something tempting and dangerous about this peasant, Helena. She couldn't put her finger on the problem and that deeply vexed her. Sighing to herself, she turned as Helena was announced and favored her with a knowing, devastatingly beautiful smile.

"Hello, my dear. Won't you come in?"

Emma immediately felt her heart melting with that look, one she knew so intimately. She could almost forget that this was the feared Evil Queen, reaffirming her thoughts prior to entering these chambers that this was still her Regina.

_Just not completely yet. Have to be careful._

The guard stepped aside allowing entrance and the savior couldn't help her wandering eyes. Any peasant would be fortunate to have an audience with the queen, let alone see her private quarters. The opulence was exquisite with hanging tapestries, plush furniture comfortably located by the roaring fireplace, and a sturdy wooden table that had food and drinks prepared for far more than just two. Gluttony of the rich and powerful still held true even in this land.

She entered as far as the border of the fur rug that rested against the stone floor and curtsied, bowing her head until Regina expressed her wishes. "Hello, Majesty," Emma said, Regina's quick lessons on the road had not been forgotten.

Regina regarded her for a long moment before she gestured toward the buffet. "I always have an _appetite_ after a journey. Would you care for a bite as well?"

_Oh hell. Like I don't know what appetite you're referring to._

Now that Emma felt that she was being addressed in a manner that could let physical formalities slip away, she looked up and gave the monarch a genuine smile. "Well, truth be told, I'm always hungry."

Then she blanched. _Shit! Did that sound like I was flirting back? Or did I sound like I just wanted to actually eat_ food? _Shit!_

Regina's smile deepened. "Good. Let's partake then."

"Uh … right. Sure. Thank you." She cleared her throat and advanced on the table, making sure to keep that between her and the Queen as a barrier, and found the food more interesting than her host at present. There was something that was too small to be a chicken, but it looked like one, and Emma peered closer to figure it out while grabbing a piece of bread.

Regina did select a few items from the buffet, delicately sampling the fare. But, her attention was riveted to Helena, studying the woman closely.

"What village did you say you're from?" she asked, a smile obvious in her tone.

Curiosity finally getting the better of her, the blonde grabbed the tiny leg and pulled … getting nothing but bone. She dropped it back on the plate and nibbled on her bread instead, feeling the fool around this Regina more than ever as her majesty asked what was supposed to be a simple question. Thinking back on the conversation that was shared on the ride in, Emma gently corrected the queen since neither of them had confirmed they were from a village. "We're from a farm further north. Why we need to come for supplies now and then. Rather isolated bit of land."

"Ah."

She scrutinized Helena's difficulty with the quail and tried to juxtapose that against a farm girl's likely expertise. It didn't make sense that she should struggle, even out of nerves. Or so Regina thought. _There is something about her… what is it?_ Setting aside her own plate, she cut the meat off the bird and held it up on a fork, presenting the bite to Helena.

Eyes wide as saucers glanced from fork to Regina's face in rapid succession. When they finally came back around to settle against brown eyes waiting upon her, Emma realized she just had to go with it. The act was actually quite thoughtful, even though she was well aware of Regina's ulterior motives behind it. She could ignore the gesture anyway.

"Thank you," she replied clumsily and leaned forward, pressing her mouth around the tines and pulled the piece off to eat - finally realizing she should avert her gaze since she probably just over-sexualized the experienced.

Regina's predatory smile deepened, watching Helena eat off her fork. "Anything else you'd like to sample, my dear?"

"I … _think_ I'm alright for now," Emma forced out, trying to hide her blushing face behind the guise of finishing her bread. It was so difficult to tone down her natural desire for the woman standing beside her.

_...but you're interested_ , Regina thought, smirking. She resumed eating from her own plate, using the same fork just to be wicked.

Emma caught the gesture out of the corner of her eye and averted her gaze once again to the spread on the table. _Really? Even using the same fork? If Regina ever ends up doing this when we get back, I'm going to either groan or laugh because I'll see the_ move _coming a mile away._

"This _really_ was too kind of you to have all of this prepared just for me. As your guest, Majesty," she said, trying to get Regina to talk more, hoping to stall her.

"I've taken quite an interest in you," she said with a smile. "I like to treat my guests well when they are intriguing as you are, Helena."

* * *

Regina prayed that her younger self was treating Emma well. It was such a ridiculous situation that she nearly laughed as she crept up the hidden stairwell. Emma shouldn't even be _seeing_ or _interacting_ with the Queen! This was insane! But, crazy though it was, Regina hoped Emma survived the encounter and that they could survive this foray into her past.

She moved silently and in utter darkness. She didn't dare light the sconces or use her magic, after all. Regina preferred the isolation and lightless space, moving by memory up the steps. It left her free to strategize and think.

_Emma found her… me… sexy… as the queen. That's good. Right? She's intrigued, so she won't fear her. Yes. That's good_ , she reasoned. _But, what if she's overly familiar? What happens then? What would the queen- what would_ I _have done if someone was too familiar with me?_

Regina grimaced, knowing exactly how she handled people who dared something so foolish.

_Oh, please be careful, Em. Be gentle with my old self… but, please be careful._

The mayor paused at the top of the stairs, taking time to think about the layout of the queen's chambers. She knew where her younger self was likely to entertain Emma while she decided what to do about, or with, her. Regina stood in the darkness and considered the likely sight lines and exactly where she'd have to avoid being in order to keep from being spotted directly, or through one of the Genie's many mirrors.

_Sidney. Oh hell._

She realized that he wouldn't be an obstacle though. He knew better than to try and play voyeur when the Queen was amorous. He'd tried once and she had threatened to smash every mirror in the kingdom if he thought to be such a fool again. So, with the sovereign entertaining Emma, he'd go wherever he went in the mirror when Regina wanted him scarce.

_Thank goodness for small favors_.

Regina opened the passageway just enough for her eyes to adjust to the light, then slipped out with such ease that the eighth dwarf would've been impressed! She didn't pause nor look toward the living quarters where Emma would surely be, making a hasty pace for the vault with her hearts and her magic.

Breathing a sigh of relief that she had at least reached her destination successfully, Regina set to work, creating a forgetting potion. Despite its name, that was easy enough for her to remember how to do. She worked quickly and efficiently, boiling the contents into a ready liquid that she thought she'd slip into the queen's drink.

_How? I'll figure that out once this is ready_.

Bottling the concoction, Regina pocketed it securely. Now, it was time to deliver the potion and get out before she was seen by the queen! She crept away from the beating vault of hearts and made her way to the bedchamber. The mayor of Storybrooke peeked out from behind the modesty dressing screen in the queen's inner sanctum and looked out into the main room where she stood with Emma. Regina resisted the urge to roll her eyes and crept forward. She assessed the space and realized there was no way to reach the wine bottle that they were currently drinking from.

_I'll have to use the potion on a different one… in here. It's not as if I don't know what_ she _is up to. So strange. Other than Graham, this isn't… like me._

Regina mused on that as she selected what she thought the queen would be likely to switch to and poured the potion into it. Then, she realized she had to find a way to warn Emma not to drink from this somehow, or she'd lose her memories of this too.

_Would that be a bad thing?_

Regina hesitated, listening with a keen ear toward the reception area where they were dining and flirting. She frowned, then decided to signal to Emma somehow; it could be her decision then. Regina wouldn't make it for her. She just had the added challenge, then, of figuring out how to clue her in…

* * *

_How the hell's this possible?_ _Is it this true love thing?_ The savior was baffled, really not understanding how Queen Regina just _stopped_ on her way down the road to pick up some peasant girls because she found 'Helena' intriguing. It didn't fit into any preconceived notion that Emma felt in reading, or hearing Regina explain her old life.

"Majesty?" Emma couldn't hide the confusion in her voice. "I'm just a lowly peasant. I really don't understand how someone like _me_ could be so interesting to someone of your stature," she explained, banking on being truthful.

"There is just _something_ about you… but the fact that you're also obscured by a glamour spell surely plays into the intrigue," she said candidly, watching closely for Helena's reaction.

_Shit! Now what the fuck am I supposed to do?!_

Swallowing down the food in her mouth, Emma set aside what was left on her plate and worked her jaw, not expecting Regina to have noticed there was a glamour spell. Since her cover was blown, she might as well go for blunt Emma. "If you've known that, then why all the pretense in inviting me here?"

"What is the saying? Keeping friends close, but enemies closer?" she said, the friendly tone still clear in the queen's tone. Her gaze had turned shrewd though, responding to Helena's bluntness. "Who sent you? Maleficent? Rumpelstiltskin?"

Sighing, Emma placed hands on her hips and shook her head slowly. She had to be honest, but not too honest where she gave away any information that could jeopardize the future. "Trust me. No one sent me. Not sure that you'll believe me, but it's the truth."

Queen Regina lifted her brows and set her plate aside, stepping toward Helena, purposefully moving into her personal space. "Then, why are you under such a spell? Those take _work._ Believe me, I know all too well."

She dropped her hands, the presence of the queen so close making her feel adrift and relaxed all at once. It was comfortable and perplexing and it was difficult for Emma to string a coherent thought. "I … I don't want others to know I have magic…" she confessed, thinking of the best way to spin this, perhaps even gaining some sympathy from Regina. "I don't want to be used for someone else's agenda."

"You used the glamour spell yourself?" she asked, moving even closer, curiosity piqued. "My, you are powerful and beautiful then…"

Closing her eyes, the savior attempted to steady her nerves because she could almost _feel_ the heat radiating off of Regina's body with how close she was now. "Just … lucky enough that I didn't turn myself into a toad _yet_ , Majesty …" she managed to say, heart thundering behind her chest as she plucked the courage to open her eyes.

"In a distant land, it's said that if you kiss the right toad, he'll turn into a prince," Regina mused, gazing at her lips before looking into Helena's eyes.

Unconsciously licking her lips, Emma chuckled. "I'm _no_ prince."

_Technically, true. I do have the wrong parts after all …_

"No, I suppose not. Does that mean you'd rather I did not kiss you?" the Queen asked.

"You … _want_ to kiss me?" the savior replied, sounding apprehensive. "After what you learned about me?"

"That you're hiding behind a glamour spell because you can use magic?" she recited, smirking. "Perhaps our kiss will make the spell fall away and I can see who I am truly so attracted to…"

Green eyes widened in alarm. The Queen couldn't see her real face! Their first meeting had to be when she brought Henry home. "But … your Majesty? What if you do that and don't like what's actually hiding underneath?"

_Not to mention the crazy clothes I'm wearing that don't scream Enchanted Forest!_

From the bedchamber, "Myka" was frantically trying to get Emma's attention without giving her presence away to the queen.

"Are you positively repulsive beneath that spell?" Queen Regina teased.

"No … I …" Emma caught the frantic movements of her Regina out of the corner of her eye. _When in the hell did she get here?!_ But she couldn't allow her pause to linger, for the Queen would become suspicious. "... I just don't want to disappoint you," she finished, sounding shy and hoping that would keep the young monarch's attention focused solely upon her.

"Myka" held up the bottle of wine and pointed at her emphatically, shaking her head negatively before pointing at the bottle. She hoped that Emma would understand that _she_ shouldn't drink it. She paused, then pointed at the Queen and gave a fervent nod that she _should_.

_Please understand me, dear,_ Regina thought.

Meanwhile, the monarch was unaware of the non-verbal conversation taking place. "I don't think you could. You're quite charming in your earthiness…"

An idiot as the mayor had rudely, and affectionately, called Emma - the blonde was _not_ at this moment. _Ooookay… Regina did something to the wine … all the way over there. How the hell am I going to pull this off?_

She inclined her head in the direction of her lover that she understood, but also tucked a strand of hair behind her ear coyly for the queen's benefit. "You're really too kind, Majesty …"

_And so on target about the charming thing, but not exactly how you think._

The Queen drew back, her smile fading. She moved toward the balcony, looking out at the kingdom beyond.

"Myka" gave Emma a quick thumbs up and moved out of sight, heart hammering in her chest. She hoped her younger self was gentle with Emma and vice versa; she was only sure of one thing in this: Emma apparently would succeed in getting the evil regal to drink the wine because Regina herself had no memory of any of this, if the past had changed for her.

With the queen moving away from her, Emma was allowed a moment to gaze upon Regina fully and couldn't help smiling at the mayor giving the thumbs up. It was rather comical, even in this dire of circumstances. The only problem was making a move now to get the wine bottle from where Regina was hidden would cause a lot of mistrust - more so now that it appeared their conversation had taken a bad turn for the first time since Emma arrived here. Plus, why would a peasant girl go snooping in the queen's bedchambers without permission?

"Majesty?" Emma called out, not following the young monarch too closely, as she felt Regina needed her space, remaining near the table.

Regina did not immediately respond, trying to make sense of the dissonance she felt. She _wanted_ this Helena. Badly. And, unlike other liaisons she'd had, the queen felt that forcing physical intimacy with her would be a mistake. But, she didn't know why! There was an emotional tug she felt toward the spellbound woman, and she didn't know why that was either! Worse, she suspected Helena knew, but she was playing knowing-but-coy about _everything_ and it galled her.

"Ordinarily, in a moment like this, I would coerce someone into my bed with seduction or threats," she said casually. "Why is it, with you, I feel that is the wrong thing to do? I have leverage over you, after all, with your sister here as my guest. Tell me why _you_ are so damned _different_ , Helena."

_If that is truly your name_ , she thought with a spark of surprise that she hadn't considered that likely truth sooner.

Closing her eyes, Emma leaned against the back of the table, gripping the edges tightly as she considered how to answer. Despite Regina's voice being devoid of it, everything that had been said showed that sliver of vulnerability that Emma had picked up on since the two of them had met in Storybrooke. Without knowing exactly what the present Regina had done to the wine bottle, she couldn't do anything to jeopardize the future by being completely honest. All that she did know is that the queen was definitely at war with her emotions towards her. She knew she had to be gentle and not risk the wrath of the evil queen as well.

"I … don't know how to answer that, Majesty. But it really does move me that you don't see me as something to be conquered …" she answered honestly. "Not often does anyone take my feelings into consideration."

Which was painfully true. So few people in her life did - her parents, foster parents, Neal, Hook, the general populace of Storybrooke that just saw her as the savior. Now long before Emma were to meet her true love, Regina at her worst was questioning her usual tactics in bringing her to bed. It was actually making her angry that was even possible - the Evil Queen being considerate, while those that loved or idolized her were such a disappointment.

Regina nodded quietly without looking at her. "I understand that feeling all too well, believe me."

Biting her lip, Emma struggled with wanting to go to her and with what to say! She sighed, lowering her head. "Is there anything I can do to help take away some of your concerns about me?"

"No," she said curtly. "You're dismissed. Take your sister and get the hell out of here."

The words were out of the queen's mouth before she had chance to think about them, of course having no idea that her "sister" was skulking around the castle on a mission!

Emma visibly winced as if slapped by the queen's words, feeling the sting of them stabbing at her heart. It agitated her more than it probably _should_ have. Taking a moment to settle her nerves, she pushed herself off the table and walked up the steps to the balcony, nodding to Regina, who still had her back to her. "I'm sorry."

She really didn't know _how_ to stay here and believed that since the glamour spell had not been dispersed, whatever concoction was in that wine bottle was no longer needed. That just left the issue of finding her Regina, but Emma had an idea on how to go about doing that. It was just her loyalty to her true love was warring with wanting to stay and comfort the queen because it wounded her that she had caused the woman to suffer.

"It doesn't matter. My happiness never does," she whispered.

"Of course it does!" Emma said ardently. "You deserve to be happy Regina."

Her entire body froze then, realizing her slip but unable to take it back. She flexed her fingers and prayed that the woman who had showed her kindness was still there, not the woman who lashed out when in despair.

The queen turned sharply on her heel, staring at her in utter shock. "What did you _presume_ to call me?"

"I'm sorry, Majesty. I … shouldn't have been so informal," Emma said biting her lip again, ensuring that this time she did not avert her gaze. "I just wanted you to believe that your happiness mattered to me. That was all."

Regina stalked toward her, closing the distance between them again. "And why does _my_ happiness mean _anything_ to you, _Helena?_ "

Eye to eye with the queen once again, Emma stood her ground because at least she had not been outright attacked, even with how dangerous Regina's words were. "Because we're both survivors. I've been through a different sort of hell than whatever it was you dealt with, but I can see it. The whys and the what ifs and the thirst for getting what you want no matter the consequences."

It was a straightforward enough answer, but Regina wasn't happy with it. She shook her head. "There may be truth in what you say… but you're also being _clever_. You're dangerous and I can't risk _you_ getting in the way of what I want."

"Believe me," the savior said with honesty in her voice. "I would _never_ do that."

They were standing too close together; the queen's emotions were too keyed up from the victory found in capturing the woman in the village, and finding this Helena on the heels of that. What she felt for her Regina didn't understand and it scared her. The fact that Helena had refused her order, moments ago - to _leave_ \- unnerved her.

"You'll be my undoing," she whispered, frightened, even as she leaned forward to kiss her.

_Now? Yes. But I wish I could tell you I won't be … that you really will be happy, Regina,_ thought Emma, as their lips finally met. She could not repress the shiver that ran down her spin, almost feeling the intensity resurfaced when they had truly kissed for the first time.

For Regina, it was the shock of her life as their lips touched. She gasped softly, slipping a hand onto Helena's arm. Whether it was to hold her there, or to anchor herself, Regina was unsure. She pulled back, dark eyes wide with fear and surprise.

"Who are you _really_?" she almost begged.

Emma had wanted to believe it was the kiss that had made the queen reel, but it was clear by her reaction that something more beautifully tragic had occurred. She had felt the ripple of magic that had resonated within the two of them. The very same when Regina had kissed her in the Bug to stop the aftereffects of being stabbed by the Dark One's dagger. Somehow, even now, Regina as the Queen was her true love. Their connection had ran so deep that it transcended realms and even time itself. But, the savior had to wonder if that would have remained true if she had not been the vessel of the heart that was beating so fiercely beside her. She could _feel_ it.

"You know who I am," she said quietly. "Even if you don't know my name."

"No…" Regina said, denying this. "You _can't_ be. You… but you…"

Falling silent, she touched blonde waves, seeing the woman who'd been masked by the glamour spell. Regina looked horribly conflicted, wanting to believe "Helena" could be.

"Who sent you to torment me?" the queen demanded.

"No one. That wasn't a lie," Emma said gently. "Our paths crossed by crazy circumstances." She lowered her head, shaking it, knowing that there was no choice but to find a way for the queen to drink the wine Regina magically spiked. Instincts were telling her now that her lover made some potion to make the queen forget meeting her in order to preserve their future. "Shit. I'm _so_ sorry that this happened like this. I _never_ want to be the reason you're upset."

Regina studied her, so afraid… and afraid of feeling that way. "Who _are_ you?"

Looking up, Emma studied the queen closely and could feel the fear radiating off of her. Regina was vulnerable and seconds away from doing something rash - which could be incinerating Emma or possibly be driven further into the madness infecting her with her thirst for revenge.

"Emma," she whispered. "My name's Emma."

The kiss had changed their dynamic and she couldn't keep speaking veiled truths.

Regina stared at her steadily. "Emma. And you're…"

_No. If I speak it, it will make it real and I_ can't _because this_ can't _be real_ , she thought. The queen reached out and touched her cheek, caressing it gently, unsure what to say. Heart pounding, Regina kissed her again. Emma instinctively leaned into the touch, reacting naturally as eyes closed before they kissed. Without seeing who was actually kissing her, the savior couldn't have noticed the difference between the Regina of now and the one she fell in love with in the future. It was still same gentle touch and the same pliable lips that she moaned softly against.

The queen plunged her hands into her hair then, deepening the kiss as she let this play out. She'd _wanted_ this Helena… this _Emma_ … from the moment she'd laid eyes on her. It was still terrifying because of who Emma claimed to be, but she couldn't _not_ savor this moment. Another moan escaped her lips when Regina's nails grazed her scalp. It tugged Emma into a more active participant now that, it appeared, the queen had finally conquered the fear and trudged forward despite what the blonde represented. Strong arms came around Regina's waist, pulling her closer so the distance between them no longer existed.

She moaned, surprising herself. Regina pulled back and stared at her, then kissed her again, harder, deeper. She plundered her mouth, cupping her face in both hands, the rush of emotion and desire making her reckless. Emma reeled, returning the passion with the same fervor that Regina assaulted her with, realizing that her earlier reservations of _being_ with the queen had disappeared. How could this be wrong if, even now, they were true loves and meant to be? She was not so foolish to forget that after this, she needed to make Regina forget, but at least now she could give that one moment of happiness that the queen desperately craved.

Regina pulled back again, brown eyes wide and full of desire.

"I've destroyed everyone I've ever cared for," she admitted in a rush. "This isn't safe for you to be here with me. Like this. I'll end up hurting you too."

"No you won't," Emma said adamantly, gazing upon her with love and conviction shining in her eyes. "You could _never_ hurt me."

Regina laughed in disbelief. "Then, clearly, you _aren't_ from here. My track record in life speaks to the exact opposite."

"I know you have the potential," the savior said, cupping the queen's face gently, "and I know it doesn't seem like that's possible now, but it's there. I can see it when you were looking at me just moments ago."

The queen eyed her and asked in a small voice, "Are you… here to keep me from seeking my revenge?"

It should have been difficult to say this, considering the circumstances. Regina wanted Snow White humiliated and dead. But, for all the misery that the evil queen had orchestrated in finally having her revenge, Emma wouldn't have had Henry, nor fall love in with Regina Mills.

"No," the blonde said reassuringly. "I'm not."

Regina nodded, hands sliding slowly up and down Emma's sides. "But you want to be here? With me?"

"Yes," said Emma, smiling as she stroked the young queen's cheek. "There's no other place I'd rather be than with _you_ , Regina."

To call her anything but her given name felt wrong. Emma knew how vulnerable her Regina was and how often doubt stabbed at her. To speak her name with love and without fear was a small gift she could impart on her, as well as know that every word resonated with truth.

Regina nodded slowly, processing all of this. The queen stared into her green eyes, trying to believe this could be true. None of it made sense to her; she just happened to stumble upon her _true love_ on the road? This beautiful, awkward peasant? Truly?

"Pass the night with me," she said in challenging, daring this hallucination - or whatever Emma was - to evaporate then.

"Of course," the blonde said tenderly, knowing that it wasn't the entire truth. However, if she had been stuck here for all eternity, Emma had no doubt that it was Regina's bed she wished to wake from every night. Even here. At least this afforded an opportunity of not only settling the queen's raging heart for a time in bed, but to finally get close enough to get to that concoction that the mayor had made.

_I_ really _hope that's a forgetting potion in there or I really just fucked over everyone's future._

Emma kissed her soft and brief. "Anything you ask of me … I'm _yours_."

Regina searched her gaze once more, then kissed the blonde woman hard. She held nothing back, _needing_ to believe in this - for this moment - even if it turned out to be a figment of her imagination or a colossal mistake later. She needed to believe in Emma and the love she promised in the _now_ , as the blonde moaned right into the kiss. The savior could feel the hesitation strip away from Regina by the kiss, the _need_ , that she felt by the bond between them. It made her feel lightheaded that she clung to the queen and pulled her body so tightly against her own for support.

Abruptly, Regina poofed them into her bedroom proper, moaning against her lips as she slid her hands over the other woman's backside as they landed on her bed. She squeezed her cheeks, grinding their covered mounds together, which coaxed a heated moan from the blonde. This was a side of Regina that Emma had yet to see - on top and fully in charge. A complete shift in the short dynamic that they had shared together in bed.

Brown eyes blazed as she pulled back, still rocking her hips against her. "You said you wield magic. Prove it," she gasped. "Make us _both_ naked, Emma."

Green eyes clouded with desire widened in panic because as far as she knew, Gold had stripped her magic and had not returned it. She cupped Regina's face instead and kissed her hard and deep, pouring all of her want into it as dark tresses pooled around her, trying to figure out a way to distract Regina into submitting for old school friskies without magic. Which really did upset the savior. This was a similar situation that Regina had tried to do to her in the vault - using sex as a motivation to perform. It would have been _so_ perfect that in the height of this moment, in the midst of foreplay with the evil queen, that Emma could poof their clothes away without pause! She could even picture the moment clearly - poofing their clothes away in a cloud of white smoke _and_ seeing Regina's face when she told her what happened.

Regina watched her face and smiled with pleasure at seeing that Emma was indeed capable as a magic wielder; that was such a turn-on to have her an equal! She rewarded the blonde with a rough, hungry kiss, moving between her legs with nothing between them now. Green eyes widened in realization that they were skin on skin and instead of returning the kiss, Emma broke it with a loud gasp in shock.

"We're naked!" she blurted. Gold must have dropped the nullification barrier! Which also angered Emma just the same. It was so like him to do something like that and _not_ say a damn word.

The queen lifted a perfect brow at her. She cupped one of Emma's breasts in her hand, squeezing, thumb rolling over her nipple. "Yes, we most assuredly are. And may I confide how erotic it is to find a partner who can _perform_ so well?"

"Honestly wasn't sure I could perform so well under pressure," gasped the blonde, arching into the queen's touch.

"You _should_ have faith in your power," Regina crooned, bending her head to lick the nipple she was working to tautness. "You've put quite a spell on me after all…"

Emma's fingers wove into dark hair, tugging the queen closer with a powerful moan. "Think… think it's a mutual one…"

She grazed the nipple with her teeth before looking up, lust and genuine pleasure in her eyes. The regal was unused to such a willing partner in her bed, and the possibility that this was truly her second chance with true love with this lover made her bend her usual rules. Regina kissed her lightly and gazed down into her eyes, clearly allowing herself to be vulnerable with Emma.

"How may I please you, _Em-ma_?" she asked.

Regina's sultry voice sent a ripple of desire straight to the savior's core, forcing her to cry out softly. It took a moment for her to recover, so touched that the woman she were to fall in love with - _No._ _Was_ in love with was making this about the blonde's enjoyment instead of hers. She didn't need to know the details of Regina's sex life in the Enchanted Forest to realize that this went outside the norm of usual behavior.

" _Any_ way you want, Regina…" she said softly. "I trust you."

She shivered and searched her gaze at hearing _that_ from this near-stranger. The fact that this was so surreal came back to the regal then, wondering at someone who could say she _trusted her_. So much of Regina's life had been built on terror and manipulation that Emma _trusting her_ struck her deeply.

"You shouldn't," she replied as she grazed kisses down the blonde's neck.

"Probably not," agreed the savior, her fingers now gently caressing her lover's shoulder as she exposed more of her neck. "But, I do."

Regina sucked hard on her pulse point, intending to leave a mark on her - old habits died hard, after all - but her other touch, as a hand wandered her body, was gentle and curious. She paused at her hip, marveling at her lean body and how _good_ it felt being with her. Regina's aggressiveness caused Emma to inhale sharply, fingers digging into the flesh of the queen's back as she was marked. It almost drowned out the pleasurable sensations of feather light fingers that danced across her skin.

"Are you _claiming_ me?" the blonde voiced curiously.

Regina smiled against warm skin. "So I know this was real tomorrow. Visual proof."

Her hand slid over to cup her mound, groaning softly at the moist warmth against her skin. She tilted her head up, licking the blonde's earlobe. Emma melted against the quilt with Regina's ministrations and chuckled.

"Give me something to remember you by too..." she said with a heartfelt sigh as her lover continued to tease her ear.

The queen pulled back, staring down at her with mistrust in her eyes. "You're… you do intend to leave me?!"

_Shit!_

"No!" Emma declared adamantly. "That's not what I meant, Regina. Not at all. I doubt I'll get to see you _all day_ tomorrow." She smiled and cupped her lover's face. "I get a nice bruise to remind me of tonight. One that I can admire when we're apart."

Green eyes narrowed in all seriousness, trying to will the queen to believe the truth of her words. "And I promise _you_. I'm _never_ going to leave you."

_It just won't be until years from now when I can, but I mean every fucking word, Regina._

While she felt Emma was being entirely honest, Regina also felt it deep in her soul that she'd never see her again. Come morning - the beautiful blonde who had unspokenly stated herself as her true love - would be gone. She was sure of it.

Not trusting her voice to say a word, because she knew she'd be too raw and emotional, the queen lowered herself over Emma again and cupped her mound once more. Regina flicked her tongue against Emma's lips, fingers teasing her folds. If it was forever as the blonde suggested, then tonight would be an amazing beginning. And if Regina's suspicions were right, it'd be one incredible night, starting with her pleasuring Emma.

"Oh god, Regina…" cooed the blonde, opening her mouth with an eagerness that scared her. She wanted that teasing tongue to be replaced by the owner's lips as Emma rocked her hips. This was so exquisite, the teasing, and she knew her heat was warming Regina's hand - her essence slicking its skin.

The sound of her name on Emma's lips was heady. The queen thrust a pair of fingers inside her without pause, moaning as her heat enveloped them. Emma immediately cried out as she was filled, clenching around those digits in welcome.

" _Fuck_ yes!"

The queen didn't hesitate, slamming her fingers inside her again and again, the heel of her hand slapping against her clit with each thrust. She stared down at her, a wicked smile lighting her lips.

"Let me hear you, Emma… let me hear you love this…" she whispered.

Arms immediately wrapped around Regina's neck, Emma needing to anchor herself because she was not used to this sort of aggressiveness from her true love. They had only shared such intimacy once, and the mayor had been shy at first, wanting to ensure that she was pleasuring Emma, but even at the height of their lovemaking - it was never this rough. But the savior _loved_ it. She rocked her hips into each thrust, the sting of contact against her throbbing clit forcing the cries from her mouth that the queen desperately craved.

Regina's grin widened as her lover clearly responded to her. This whole situation felt crazy! But, the queen was too turned on by the idea of someone genuinely _wanting her_ and wanting _this_ to think now.

"Yes, Emma… you feel so… fiery… like the passion in your eyes," she whispered, this _talking_ wholly unlike her. "Do you like what I do to you, Emma? Do you?"

The blonde's immediate response was a deep groan, her arousal sharply spiking that the queen was _this_ talkative _._ "Fuck _yes_ …" she rasped out, clenching around the fingers penetrating her once again. "God! _Don't_ stop!"

"Never," she promised. "I'll never stop…"

And Regina made good on that, fucking her hard and deep, relentlessly. It was beautiful and intoxicating to watch, she thought, seeing pleasure bright on Emma's face. It was a shockingly new sight too, seeing and hearing how _wanted_ it was as she felt the fingers behind her neck lock together when the blonde arched her back against her. Emma writhed beneath her as Regina was bringing her swiftly towards release. She felt that delicious, teasing, pull deep inside her groin.

"Fuck, Regina," the savior cried out. "So … so close …"

The queen whimpered, wanting to see Emma climax under her hand. She instinctively curled her fingers with a deep thrust inside her, staring down at the blonde. In truth, it was when Emma caught Regina's gaze and _heard_ that whimper did it send the blonde over edge.

She came _hard_ , screaming her lover's name as her core milked the digits buried deep inside her. Emma's body undulated beneath Regina as she rode out every wave of pleasure, clinging to her desperately. Regina gasped at the sight and sensation of Emma's release, her own core clenching hard in response. She thrust again, dragging out the irresistible blonde's pleasure, wanting it to go on and on. It was delicious agony, the savior's core squeezing Regina's fingers like a vice as the last powerful wave hit her - Emma's cries reaching their crescendo.

Her body relaxed, falling against the bed limply, panting frantically while her body thrummed in the aftermath of coming so hard. And it was Regina, here in the past, that had coaxed such pleasure from her!

"Mmm…" she licked her dry lips and then squeezed the queen's fingers with a smile.

Regina smiled back, panting softly. She withdrew her soaked fingers and considered them before offering them to Emma. She wanted to see if her lover would indeed lick them clean, and Regina was not disappointed. The blonde grabbed the queen by the wrist and brought those fingers towards her mouth with a wicked grin. Emma's tongue flicked out and slid its tip up the length of her lover's index finger, moaning at her own taste coating it.

"Damn…" the regal whispered.

She cut off anything Emma might've said by kissing her hard, moaning at the pleasure of this wild intimacy. It was too _good_ to be _real_ , she thought. So, Regina was going to enjoy this to the fullest; why not? Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's neck, kissing back just as heatedly. She felt reckless and wanton in this moment - still feeling no guilt despite how crazy this night was. The need between them was palpable in the way they kissed and writhed against each other, and Emma knew this was just the beginning of their evening ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Regina's writer hopes you don't find the Evil Queen too OOC. I figure that she differs from Regina in Storybrooke because 1) she's QUEEN :), 2) the effect of true love on her when so damaged emotionally impacts her differently, especially because she's scared while wanting to believe in it so badly, and, 3) and her thinking this is some kind of dream/hallucination anyway. Her inhibitions are down as a result, showing how much her choices and the curse had weighed her down as her Storybrooke self from previous chapters.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Storybrooke's Regina reconnect and are off to rescue Marian!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are with an update FINALLY! My co-author was finishing up his Master's stuff and only has one more class to go, yay! I've had a slew of health issues, which are sadly ongoing. Fingers crossed that nothing major is going on. This update is shorter than the last but it ended at a decent spot to set up the next chapter. For those that read Apple... we'll be working on that next!
> 
> We appreciate all of you that are still following/Favorited this story and hope you all enjoy this update. We've expanded on an original character a bit and may have possible plans of inserting her more into a future story. She was mentioned briefly in a prior chapter. Let us know what you think of her and the chapter! Thank YOU!

The queen smiled as she sipped from her goblet of wine, eyes roving over Emma's lithe and sexy body. She'd stopped asking for details about her history when the blonde offered so little in the way of answers. It was rude, considering who she was interacting with, but Regina was not inclined to punish her for it. It was better, she thought, to appreciate what she had in the moment… because her heart told her this was _not_ going to last. Emma had not inferred as much; it was simply a feeling that Regina had.

"I wish you would share a glass with me," she said of the wine. "Is there something else I can ring for the staff to bring you?"

"No, thank you." Emma said appreciatively as the brown eyes of her lover were lasciviously roaming along her own exposed body. She hadn't bothered covering up with the sheet. There was no need as she was sure they weren't quite finished with their amorous activities, and that gave her plenty of ammunition to work in order to distract Regina with so she wouldn't drink the wine. The thought had crossed her mind to drink the laced wine and forget what had happened here but on the other hand, what had happened here was still the product of love. True love, for that matter. One of them _should_ remember, and Emma would be honest with Regina, even if her lover already knew what were to occur. It was different in admitting it openly and with their track record for misunderstandings, the savior did not want this to be hanging over their heads without speaking of it. But there was no denying that she was afraid of the consequences.

Purposefully stretching so that her breasts heaved forward and legs rubbed together coyly so Regina would have a delicious, distracted, eyeful, Emma smiled playfully. "My body thirsts for something more refined than wine anyway." She turned onto her side, winking. "And that's saying a lot considering how good it is."

Regina set her goblet aside, hand trembling. She crooked an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, is _that_ so?"

She bit her bottom lip bashfully and nodded, wondering how long it would take for the 'she hoped it was a forgetting potion in the wine' spell to take effect. Regina had very little of it so far, which made her wonder if it was enough to even work, or would it be a delayed response.

_Maybe going full on seductive was a bad idea. Hm. Got to make sure she downs all of the wine in her goblet after this round._

Emma had truly kept the evil queen busy for the last couple of hours, giving Regina plenty of time to find and spring Marian and, hopefully, find a way back to their present. This was going to be their only time together so the queen was eager to capitalize on this, wanting to make love to Emma repeatedly to imprint these memories forever.

 _God… I'm so sorry that you'll never remember this …_ she thought, releasing her bottom lip to grin back. " _Quite_ so."

Smirking, Regina bounced her crossed leg. Her center was hot and clenched at the idea of Emma's mouth on her if that was what her guest desired. She couldn't get enough of her, or of being with her!

"Well, what's stopping you from what you _crave_ , my dear?" Regina purred.

Blonde brows waggled as Emma answered back. "Nothing now." She pulled herself closer to Regina, curling her arm around the bent leg and tugged, exposing an inner thigh to kiss as she lowered herself to kneel. "That is, unless my queen has something _particular_ she would wish of me?"

Regina groaned as watched her. "I think you're on the right track already…"

"Am I?" She nipped at the tanned flesh with her teeth, her hands massaging warm skin, knowing full well that Regina was amped up and hot for her. The heat radiating off of her was just as intense as the scent of her arousal, and it made her own core clench with desire.

"Mhmm…" She hissed at Emma's kiss, spreading her legs wider. "You are quite good, doing my bidding, even unasked…"

Regina took another swallow of wine as her lover's lips move further up her leg. Green eyes flicked upwards to gaze upon the queen with a wanton look, but she was actually relieved that Regina was still drinking from the goblet.

The queen nodded at her, setting the drink aside. She reached down to stroke her hair, core clenching in anticipation. "Would you like to take a drink, darling?"

Groaning against the thigh she was caressing lightly with her lips, Emma grinned. "Oh yeah …"

Regina's leg twitched. She scooted down further in the chair, spreading her legs wider still for her. The queen patted her hair again, gently guiding her toward her slick center. She smiled smugly.

"All yours to enjoy, my dear…"

Emma's gaze was fixated on the slick heat before her - lips glistening with new arousal. She reached out with her thumbs and spread Regina wide open, quietly groaning at the sight, especially how her lover visibly clenched in anticipation.

"Fuck …" whispered the savior in reverence before taking a quick swipe with her tongue through Regina's heat.

The queen arched, gripping the chair arms tightly as she cried out. "Oh yes, dear… that _tongue…_!"

Emma lapped through her folds with urgency, moaning that Regina tasted the same. It was probably a peculiar thought to believe otherwise, but the reality of that knowledge made her manically rub her tongue faster - just the way Regina had liked it when they were first together. It made the queen howl with pleasure, unabashedly grinding against her face and amazing tongue. Urged by her lover's reaction, she licked higher and focused on her throbbing clit, batting at it aggressively.

Regina clenched, arched, and screamed out her name as the move threw her into orgasm. She shuddered against her face, writhing uncontrollably as pleasure assaulted her senses. Emma was unrelenting, tongue attacking her clit as a pair of fingers slowly penetrated her, eliciting a moan as her lover's core clenched wickedly around them.

"Emma!" the queen howled, bucking her hips to the pace that the blonde between her legs had set. "Oh! Don't stop!"

A command that the savior eagerly followed, thrusting her fingers deliberately to prolong Regina's orgasm and eager to hear her screams continue. She was thoroughly addicted to Regina Mills in every way. In any time.

She bit her lower lip, eyes narrowed to slits as she stared at the erotic sight of Emma fucking her so perfectly. Regina didn't understand how or why the woman had such an effect on her though she desperately wanted to believe what she'd implied about being her _true love_. Her core clenched, making her climax again with a harsh cry that alerted everyone within range of her pleasure …

* * *

Storybrooke's Regina sighed as she returned to her counterpart's collection of magical items. It was good to stay focused on _her_ mission and not think about the strangeness of the queen trying to seduce Emma. Regina didn't want to think about the curious nature of true love, nor what it meant if the queen succeeded.

 _I just want to find some item we can use to cross realms and get the hell out of here,_ she thought with another sigh. _But what?_

Rummaging through the queen's magical items, Regina found a variety of interesting items but nothing that would help them get back. She clutched a vial of potion, ready to hurl it against the wall to lash out with her frustration at this setback when a familiar voice chilled her to the bone. Regina set the vial down and, instead, picked up a wand that she'd used as an early training tool.

"Well, dearie, you do have the most peculiar fashions, but this- Oh. Dearie, you're… _different_!"

Rumpelstiltskin's demented giggle made her skin crawl as it always had. Regina realized it had been literally a lifetime since she'd heard it. But, his laughter was the least of her worries because he was the _one_ person in the Enchanted Forest who she did _not_ want them to interact with. Squaring her shoulders as if she was going to battle, Regina turned to face him.

Garishly but handsomely dressed as always, the imp's wild gaze roved over her form. Regina remembered then that he was seeing her with the spell intact. She didn't breathe a sigh of relief, however, knowing that this could cause her more problems too.

"Well, well!" he chortled, closing the distance between them. "When did the star pupil manage to learn such skill, when it was not that long ago that _I_ changed you into a peasant because you couldn't do it yourself?!"

_Oh dear god. He thinks I'm me. Well, I am "me." He thinks I'm the queen!_

Her jaw twitched as Regina replied shortly, "I've been practicing."

"Apparently!" Rumpel giggled and gave her skirt a pinch.

She frowned and moved out of his grasp before he could do it again. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I just came by to check on you, Regina," he sing-songed. "Heard some buzz from the rabble that you had a guest or two…"

"I do. Or, I _did_." She smirked, letting him imply what he would from those few words.

Rumpel continued to study her illusion. She thought he was impressed and Regina was troubled that she found herself craving that approval from him, even now.

"Where have _you_ been lately?" she asked, recalling how she challenged him often at this phase of their relationship.

"Busy!" Rumpel declared proudly. "Procuring this and that. You never know what you'll need in the future, eh, dearie?"

 _Isn't that the truth._ Regina studied him more closely and saw the wand protruding from his vest pocket. _That couldn't be… could it?_

"I thought you could see the future," she sneered.

"Oh, that I can! So, it's always good to be prepared for it!"

Regina smirked and stepped closer to him now, a reckless plan forming. There was no time to question it or think. She knew she simply had to act. Making a fuss over straightening and smoothing his vest, the mayor deftly used sleight of hand to switch his wand with the one that was in her possession.

 _If this works, I'll get it back into his possession via the queen. I know we'll_ need this _in_ her _future… if this really is the Black Fairy's wand_.

"There you go, dear. Presentable for your dastardly future now," Regina said with a chuckle.

"Well, well, dearie. I'll be off! But, before I go… remember, I am always nearby!"

"Don't I know it," she said under her breath.

Rumpel vanished in a whirl of purple smoke and Regina breathed a sigh of relief, fingers curled tightly around the Black Fairy's wand. It was said to hold devilishly powerful magic. Regina didn't want to know how _he_ had gotten his hands on it at last. She only knew that borrowing it now was imperative.

_Now, to collect Emma…_

Regina tucked the wand into her skirt safely and took one last look at this area of her quarters. It felt strange that fate kept throwing her back to her past. She took a good, hard look around, trying to discern if there was anything else she was supposed to see or do here. Shaking her head, feeling settled with her present and future, Regina tiptoed off toward the bed chamber once more.

* * *

The queen was slumbering peacefully, all snuggled up against her after their lovemaking. Then there was Emma, eyes wide awake in panic because this was her cue to leave because when the Regina of this time woke up again, she would have no memory of the naked blonde in her bed. She just didn't want to wake the queen accidentally.

_And then my execution will come for sure. But how the fuck do I find my Regina? She could be anywhere in the castle. I can't just go wandering around the place. It's too suspicious. Plus the guards know I'm supposed to be in here …_

Sighing, she shifted, pulling her arm under Regina's head so it rested on her forearm, the new position bringing life back to the appendage as it tingled from falling asleep. The queen remained sleeping and Emma's thought shifted from how to escape to an odd sense of guilt that wasn't there before. Not for what had happened between them, but for the fact that she would be the only one that remembered. Was it actually fair to her Regina, even with her apparent acceptance of Emma and her past self sleeping together, to have no memory of this moment? To not realize how profound this actual moment was between them seemed wrong. She glanced pensively over at the unfinished bottle of wine and wondered if this was a moment that required erasure or preservation of how strong their love was? It didn't seem right that true love should only be remembered by one part of the pair.

From the shadows, present-day Regina watched Emma with her regal self. Tears stood in her eyes, though she wasn't entirely sure what precisely moved her to tears. Biting her lower lip, she moved just enough to catch Emma's eye without having to make a sound. Green eyes widened at seeing Regina's silhouette moving around and felt a sense of relief! She was saved! But, she also hadn't made a decision on what to do about drinking the wine or not. Biting her lip, Emma removed her arm slowly and slipped out of bed to dress, and decided to confirm with Regina the wine's contents.

Nose-to-nose with her, but a wary eye on her younger slumbering self, Regina whispered, "Yes, _of course_ it has a forgetting potion mixed in. I _had to_ make sure her future plays out as we knew it…"

"Well, I _figured_. But, I wanted to make sure since I was thinking about drinking it myself…" she admitted while slipping back into her pants.

Regina shook her head no. In a terse whisper, she replied, "No. Keep your memories."

She realized then - with the pants - that Emma was clearly too other-worldly and she'd have to redo the glamour spell on her. For that matter, Regina reflected that she ought to change her own appearance too; it might make escaping the queen's domain a little easier if they didn't look like Helena and Myka at all now.

"Hurry. It will only make her forget. It's not a sleeping potion." Her lips twitched.

Emma threw Regina a tired look as she put on her boots. "I'm moving as fast as I can," she whispered. "But … you're sure? About the potion and keeping my memories. And about … _everything?_ "

Regina frowned and shifted her shoulders. " _Later_."

Staring hard at her, Emma rolled her eyes and went around the bed to grab the wine bottle. If not for herself, they still needed to destroy what was left of its contents or who knows what else Regina would forget if she drank from it again. She uncorked it and dumped the potion into the fireplace, being careful to not douse the flames.

Regina retreated to the shadows to wait, not wanting to risk being seen. She was careful not to even gaze at her regal self's sleeping form, knowing how one could wake up, feeling eyes upon them. The last thing they needed was for her to wake, groggy and confused! Instead, she watched Emma set the empty bottle back on the table and briefly glance over at her younger self with an unreadable expression. It was clear the blonde was still struggling in some way with what happened, but she only stopped for but a moment.

Tearing her gaze away at the woman still sleeping soundly in bed, she joined Regina. "Let's get Marian and get the fuck out of here."

Regina certainly couldn't argue with that. She took Emma's hand and led her through the secret passageway to the stairs, leading her down several flights before speaking. When she did, it was all-business, something that Emma appreciated. She needed this - needed Regina to ground her.

"If I create new glamour spells so that we appear and sound like my… well, _her_ guards, we can walk into the dungeon without being questioned," she said, making no reference to anything that had transpired - for either of them - in the last several hours. "We can say Marian is being moved because of the queen expecting a rescue attempt. What do you think?"

"Good a plan as any to get in there," agreed the savior. "Simple and makes sense. Better that way."

Regina chuckled and squeezed the hand that she was still holding. She smiled at Emma and concentrated, focusing a spell onto her, and then one onto herself so they both appeared as nameless guards. She hoped this would work!

"Alright. Let's get her and get out of here, as you said."

"No. I said, 'get the fuck out of here'," teased Emma. "If you're going to quote me, at least do it right."

"Yes, dear," she said fondly, glad for Emma's sense of humor.

Magical disguises set, Regina led the way down the secret stairwell to the dungeon. She listened intently to make sure that no one was on their way past as she stepped through the false wall and came out into the torch-lit corridor. Turning to see Emma emerge, she offered a tight-lipped nod and gestured the way to proceed. Emma was glad for the helmets since her curious eyes could be curious! The black see through material allowed their new faces to be obscured, but it also allowed ease of vision. Wondering what material in the Enchanted Forest could make this, Emma followed closely on Regina's heels. Almost too closely and clearly not in any recognizable formation that the queen's guards would have chosen to patrol the hallway. Not that the scant servants who were swiftly moving the halls with large bundles of laundry in their arms were apt to notice.

"Halt!" A commanding female voice came from behind the pair.

Emma regarded the suspicious woman, noting that she was clearly of someone of importance within the castle. She was impeccably dressed in chains and leathers, the queen's coat of arms prominent on her black surcoat which matched the cloak that hugged her shoulders and strapped angularly below her left collarbone. She watched the dark haired woman approach, a hand comfortably resting atop the hilt of her sword, not gripping it.

"Where are you two headed?" the soldier asked, brown eyes narrowing between Regina and Emma expectantly.

 _Oh hell,_ Regina thought, _of course. My knights' commander._

"Queen's business," she replied automatically, materializing a directive into her hand with magic. Emma remained stoically quiet and unmoving, letting Regina handle this since she had no idea who this was.

Regina knew she was using too much magic now, but Kalyn was not one to be trifled with in the Enchanted Forest or in Storybrooke! She handed the note to the commander for her to inspect; of course, it outlined their moving a different prisoner on the Queen's orders, and that was nothing new. There was no mention of Marian.

With an unreadable expression, Kalyn looked from Regina to the missive and read it over quickly. All seemed in order but something about this was still off putting to the knight. "When did her majesty give this to you?"

The commander was also well aware of Regina's amorous activities regarding one of the guests tonight, and knew that most business would not be conducted for the rest of the evening when the queen was occupied as such.

"The message was finally delivered just recently. But, the messenger said it was sent hours earlier, Commander," she said, heart pounding. "There was some confusion given the… guests."

Fisting the missive, Kalyn appeared irate with this news. "Who gave you these late orders? I will _not_ tolerate such mistakes under my command, regardless of how activities in the castle changes quickly."

Behind the opaque mask, Regina barely resisted rolling her eyes because she knew the commander would be able to see the eye motion. Improvising, she said, "A new messenger. I understood that he was already _severely_ reprimanded and was being released for the error upon delivery, Commander."

_After all, I don't want her going off on some random new messenger who I wouldn't have known in the first place!_

"Regardless of that fact, _I_ want a name," she pressed.

Regina gnashed her teeth, cursing their bad luck. _At least when she goes to run down my story, she'll find there was no released messenger, I hope! And then_ we _will be long gone._

"I'm sorry, Commander. I did not ask in my haste to follow the Queen's orders."

She sighed at their incompetence and shoved the missive back in Regina's hand. The orders had come from Adenl, one of her lieutenants, and she was going to have a long talk with him about how poorly this was handled. No one should have been punished without her approval regardless. "Carry out these orders immediately. Once they are completed, return to me so I know it as fact. Understood?"

Regina felt bad at knowing that Commander Kalyn was apt to feel very frustrated and her lieutenant baffled. But, there was nothing else she could say or do and Emma had decided it best to leave her to handle this, which was likely wise. She was floundering so Emma had to be completely at a loss! An astute hypothesis as the savior was dumbfounded as to what was going on and remained silent, not wanting to make this worse.

"Yes, Commander. Of course."

She offered Kalyn a crisp salute and prayed that Emma followed suit so they could get the hell away from the too-competent commander. Unfortunately it took a moment for her lover to follow suit and offer a sloppy one - more so that Regina held a fist to her chest and Emma panicked, bringing a flat hand towards her head.

That gave the commander pause and brought her full attention upon the other guard. "What are your names? I pride myself on knowing all under my command and I do not recognize your voice," she stated as Emma brought her hand down slowly. Even the briefest of silences made the already suspicious commander's concerns worsen.

"Well?" she snapped when Emma did not respond right away.

"You'd know us best for what her majesty calls us," Regina replied, thinking fast, because two idiot guards came to mind just then. "Flogged for Drunkenness and Flogged for Lateness. May we go, Commander? I really don't want to earn her ire any more than we already have in the past."

Brown eyes blinked away their apprehensive and were immediately replaced with understanding. Those two men were barely useful as it was and were living on borrowed time as far as the commander was concerned. However, there was no need to expedite the process. "That explains a great deal. Go on then." She stepped aside for them to pass. "I will delay you no further."

"Thank you, Commander," Regina said, sketching a hasty salute.

She nudged Emma forward and hurried along beside her, heart hammering loudly in her chest. She kept them moving until they'd rounded a corner and went down the stairs, moving deeper into the dungeon where Regina suspected Marian was being kept. She glanced back, finally, and breathed a sigh of relief that Kalyn had not followed them.

"Oh god, that was too close."

"Who the _hell_ was that?" Emma asked as they quickly made their way down the stairs.

"Kalyn. She oversees all of the knights and guards," she said softly. Regina sighed, muscles tight with tension. "In Storybrooke, you might have seen her as my deputy mayor, Nikole. In either life, she's very efficient. As you can tell."

With that information, Emma thought back to the few times she was actually present for city hall meetings. Truthfully, she was always focused on Regina, wondering what games she would pull to keep the Sheriff in line to really notice anyone else that was present. She was good with faces and names, and neither one matched up currently. But, the name Nikole did have meaning.

"Nystrom?" she asked as they made it down to the end of the spiraling staircase, their own shadows melding into the ones that surrounded them in the dimly lit dungeon. "I think I saw that name, a Nikole Nystrom, a few times when I _actually_ did paperwork."

As she talked it out, Emma suddenly remembered where she had seen Kalyn, as Nikole, in Storybrooke. "Oh wait! I _do_ remember her. She was there when you fought Zelena."

"Yes, that's her. I tried to keep _our_ identities vague, but she's simply too detail-oriented," Regina sighed. "There will possibly be fallout with this now that she thinks we're those guards I mentioned, but I hope not. All the more reason to finish our business here and _go_."

That didn't sound good at all upon Emma's ears. "Fallout that can radically change the future, or fallout that will just be crazy castle drama that will right itself without consequences?"

"The latter, I hope..."

Regina didn't know where Marian was held, so she had to focus on the contents of each cell, seeking her out. Whispering a silent prayer that Kalyn stayed up a level and let them be, she felt her heart skip a startled beat at actually finding the thief's wife.

"Here," Regina said. Pantomiming like she had the key, she again used magic to pop the lock open. "Rise, Marian of Sherwood Forest. We've orders to move you."

 _And please hurry,_ she thought, _because who knows when my queenly self will awaken._

They didn't, and Regina was improvising, but she realized that saying their plan aloud, right now, would have other prisoners play witness. That could have consequences too. Better to keep to the absurd situation they'd found themselves in, right?

Marian had been huddled in the corner, trying to accept the fate that had befalling her, that the queen would make an example out of her and more than likely kill her for aiding Snow White. She tried not to give into her despair, knowing that her sacrifice would protect her husband and infant son. If the Evil Queen found out her connections to the outlaw Robin Hood, she would surely sign her family's death warrant along with the men who had become a second family to her. To ensure that, she refused to give away her identity to _anyone_ in absolute defiance. Which was why she now looked upon the guards in absolute horror that her identity had been found out! She curled into a ball at the end of the bench, covering herself with her cloak as if it were a shield that could protect her from the damage that this could cause her family.

"No, no, _no!_ " she cried, tears welling around her eyes as her fragile reality came crashing down around her. "How did you find out _who I am?!_ "

Regina rolled her eyes behind the opaque mask. Leaning in close, she whispered, "Snow White sent us."

 _Not exactly, but close enough_.

"But _how?_ How could she have known that I was taken prisoner and sent help this fast?!" she said in a panic.

"She has spies throughout the kingdom and word travels fast when one of her allies needs aid," Regina said because that _was_ true. She'd hated that, how Snow and friends had stayed one step ahead. "You have to trust us. The window of opportunity to get you out is very short, Marian."

Emma stepped forward, readying to open the cell door. "You need come with us. _Now._ Before they realize we're not who we say we are."

Marian steeled herself and sat upright, trying to hear a glimmer of truth to what the guard was saying, because it was just too good to be true. She just didn't want the desire to see her family again to cloud her judgement and fall victim to one of the evil queen's traps. But _what if?!_ Nothing the guards said were inaccurate, but it felt so odd that a life as insignificant as hers had brought the bandit Snow White to her aid. Regina preferred a grand stage to humiliate her victims. Or to do the very deed herself, so this teasing of her freedom seemed too subtle of a torture.

"Alright," she answered softly and forced herself to stand before she changed her mind.

Emma opened the cell as Marian approached, who held out her hands unknowingly to the very captor she was hoping to run away from. "I swear to you that if this is a trap, I will find a way to kill you and your friend before they have a chance to kill me." Dark eyes narrowed threateningly. "Do you understand?"

"Our intentions are honorable," Regina replied, her voice rough in her own ears. "Come."

She touched Marian's hands with her own gloved ones, then turned and surveyed the dungeon. Using additional hidden passageways were going to be the best way out. She supposed the guards knew many of them that honeycombed the castle, but Regina knew them _all_. Giving a silent nod to Emma, she set off toward the first of such passages, guiding Marian and Emma inside as several of the prisoners shouted praises for Snow White, others pleading to be freed as well. Marian looked back with a strained look, wishing they could fulfill their wishes, but an entire dungeon emptied would assuredly bring the evil queen's wrath.

"We'll find a way to come back for _all_ of you," Marian promised, not realizing that it was without substance, before disappearing into the secret passageway.

Emma felt terrible for keeping the woman in the dark about what was going to actually happen and felt just as distraught for not freeing the other prisoners as well. They already riled up the group of them and that had the chance of unintended consequences. Freeing the lot? They might as well let Rumpelstiltskin know they were from the future and his son died. Small ripples or larger ones, all could cause a major catastrophe that needed to be avoided. Just like Regina from this time period needing to drink the forgetting potion or she may never cast the curse because her focus on Snow White shifted to the chance encounter with Emma, and would do everything in her power to find her true love.

That made green eyes glance back towards Regina, figuring that it must have worked - the potion. Her lover had given no signs of remembering what happened just an hour ago for Emma, years prior for the mayor. Neither of them had poofed out of existence either, which means that the curse being cast was secured. That their futures were secured. Emma just prayed that the life she wanted to have with Regina was as well because as right as it had felt being with the queen during this time period, that did not guarantee that her burgeoning relationship in the present would withstand it. Even knowing it was based upon true love.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party at Granny's of course! Of course, after Marian's talked down and realizes that Regina isn't the Evil Queen anymore. Emma Swan has a few more revelations as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we have come to the conclusion of our story. I'm very proud of the fact that cath and I not only decided to write a story but managed to finish it! Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read this story and followed us, reviewed, or even just took a peek as an awesome guest. It's been a lot of fun doing this and kind of sad that it is over, but we did what we wanted to do - retell season 3B when, in our opinion, the show sadly deteriorated. Not sure if there will ever be an epilogue or a sequel, especially since the end of season 4 has a lot of potential. Until then, feel free to read our other ongoing story, The Hearty Honeycrisp Apple =)

Leaping through the portal that they'd created with the Black Fairy's wand, Regina threw the tool back quickly before the passage between lands closed. She knew that Rumpelstiltskin would eventually realize he was carrying a fake, then retrace his steps. Regina was confident that he would find the wand wherever it landed because it was clearly important to him.

Exhaling sharply as the portal closed, the mayor turned and took stock of the familiar location. She would not have imagined she would be so glad to see the aging wooden frame of Zelena's barn! Unaware that the jump through the portal had stripped away the spell disguising their identities as guards, Regina looked to Emma and Marian.

"Are you both alright?" she asked, both exhilarated and exhausted.

" _I knew it!_ " Marian declared, quickly scrambling away when the true form of her rescuers were finally revealed. The shock of the trip and how disorientated she was to her surroundings mattered little when she felt threatened by her would-be murderer. "I _knew_ this was a trick of the Evil Queen's!"

"Whoa lady! No!" Emma got up and slowly raised her hands as she moved between Regina and Marian. "I get why you're confused and upset, but this is not the Evil Queen anymore. She was, _yes,_ but not now. Regina _wanted_ to rescue you because she wanted to make amends."

"Marian… Robin and Roland are here. In this land," Regina said emphatically. "I wanted you to have a chance together. Please don't be afraid. I saved you from… _me_. So you could have a future."

"What?" Marian's face twisted with anger and confusion. "You _lie!_ I never gave away their positions! This is a ruse. The Evil Queen saves no one…"

Emma crouched towards the ground, wanting to get eye level with the woman and to hopefully appear less threatening. Legitimate panic was what Marian was feeling. And betrayal. There was no reason for Marian to trust Regina at all, but maybe Emma could at least calm her down enough to listen.

"You're right. You never gave up the location of your husband and son. They _did_ escape the queen's wrath and _lived_. But we're not in the Enchanted Forest anymore. The portal that Regina opened took us to a different land, but also … to the future."

_And when you say it out out loud like that, I sound fucking nuts._

"You expect me to believe _that_?! That my killer had a change of heart and decided to just … come back and rescue me? It's absurd!"

 _Yep. I sounded fucking nuts_ , Emma thought in dismay. She looked at Regina with a sigh before glancing back at their livid guest.

"She didn't come back for you, to be honest. Some bad magic happened here in our present land. It opened up a portal that someone was going to use to change the past. We stopped them, but not the magic. So we ended up getting sucked into the portal and we had to be careful not to change anything in what was her past, because we might not have had a home to come back to," she explained and looked to Regina to fill in the rest. Marian had to hear the reasons of why they took a chance and rescued her from the reformed queen herself.

"But despite that danger of preserving our past and futures, I _knew_ what the Evil Queen had done to you," Regina said softly, her tone soft and full of regret. "I knew what she was _going to do to you_ , Marian. And at the same time, _in this land_ , I knew that your husband grieved you. I knew your son was growing up without his mother. If we had this chance, being thrown back into the past… into _your present_ … I had to take the risk to set things right. I had to save you from… myself."

Regina paused, collecting her thoughts. At the end of the day, it didn't matter whether Marian believed them. She patted her pockets for her cell and placed a call to Snow, asking her to track down Robin Hood and Roland and to bring them to Zelena's barn. She kept it short with Emma's mother, even though Snow tried pressing for more information, and explained nothing further before ending the call.

On her feet, Marian went over her options as she scrutinized Emma and Regina. The blonde appeared sincere, despite how insane it was to believe _how_ they rescued her. Her eyes were kind and very persistent, trying to will her to believe that this story was true. The Evil Queen, on the other hand, was not at all acting as she had been while Marian was incarcerated. She had shown restraint and could hear the regret quietly weaving its way through her words, but this was still crazy to believe. Part of her wanted to actually. _Believe_. To have a chance at seeing her family again? The opportunity just seemed too good to be true.

While Regina was on the call, Emma kept a close eye on Marian. The last thing they needed was her running off. Storybrooke was not enormous, but if she zigged instead of zagging the right way, Marian could run over the townline and cause a whole new set of problems if they didn't find her in time.

"Your mother is bringing them over," she told Emma. "She just has to find them first."

Rolling her eyes, Emma snorted. "Check the forest. Where else would they be?"

Regina couldn't help but chuckle despite the craziness of the circumstances. "I'm sure that's where she'll look first, dear."

Growing serious, Emma regarded Marian. "Just give us an hour to bring your husband and son here. As Regina said, my mother will bring them and they can confirm our story. Not to mention who my mother is will probably cement that we're not lying, and that Regina has changed."

That at least sparked some curiosity from Marian. "Who is your mother?"

"Snow White," she said with an irony that couldn't quite escape her tone. Even after breaking the curse a couple of years ago, it was still weird to admit aloud that Snow White was her mother!

Marian considered that and if their story were indeed true, that they were from the future, Snow White's child would be older. Regina could have easily masked her years with magic, considering how deep her vanity ran.

"I'll set aside the absurdity of this and wait to see if your story has any merit. But only for an hour. If Snow White does not make an appearance, you let me go." Dark eyes burrowed fearlessly into Regina's. "Do you understand?"

The brunette lifted her brows at Marian's defiant attitude. _Some gratitude for saving her damned life and staging a reunion with her family!_ she thought.

"I understand completely. Lucky for both of us, Snow is good at finding people," Regina replied with a smirk.

Later, Regina turned and lifted her head in acknowledgement of the Charmings, plus Robin and Roland, as David's beat-up pick up truck rolled up to the barn's wide doorway. She marveled at the four of them piled into the cab, but very little with Snow and David surprised her anymore.

Robin climbed out, carrying Roland against his side. "What's this about, _Regina_? She wouldn't bloody tell me anything!"

"Hello, Robin," she said with a sigh. "I'm sure I disturbed you from rubbing sticks together, but-"

"Robin?!" Marian's startled voice cut through Regina's snark as she saw her husband climb out of the strange carriage that didn't require horses. That bizarre detail didn't matter to her. Robin was alive and here as promised. "Oh god, Roland!"

She ran up to them without any hesitation, throwing an arm around Robin's neck while gently cupping the cheek of their son. "You're really here," she said joyously as everyone else was just drowned into the background.

Regina looked to Emma then and sighed. She offered a weary smile, arching a delicate brow. "Well. All's well that ends well as the writers say?"

Emma watched as David and Mary Margaret ran right towards her, hugging her desperately that she was now the middle of a Charming sandwich. She flailed, trying to return the embrace. "Hey guys! We're fine!"

"Emma, thank god you're alright," gasped David, tears of relief clutching his eyes. "We feared we'd never see you again, even with Belle and Gold trying to find a way to get you back."

On the periphery, Regina's stoic gaze turned away from the Locksley reunion to that of the Charming's. "Belle _and_ Gold were trying to find a way back for us?" she asked in mild disbelief.

"After threatening him and Belle wearing him down, yes. Henry too, of course," David explained. He pulled back and cupped Emma's face. "I'm so glad you're safe. I don't know what I would've done if I lost you again."

Emma felt a mixture of emotions - regret, pain, relief, and still the ever present anger she had for her parents. David's admission of not wanting to lose her again struck a nerve that had been plucked too many times.

"Yeah. Thanks to Regina," she said and took a step back away from her parents. "She found a way to get us home."

The mayor tilted her head. "Only because you were skilled at giving me the time I needed to find that way."

And that was _all_ she wanted to say about that for now! They had not had chance to talk about what had happened in the Enchanted Forest, nor were they likely to in the excitement of their safe return home. When it happened, the conversation between Regina and Emma had to be a private one.

"Where's my baby brother?" Emma just had to ask. They went through hell to save everyone, including him, and she needed to know he was all right.

"Belle's watching him, honey. At the Pawn Shop." Snow clasped her hands in front of her coat, wanting to reach out for Emma again, but could feel her daughter's resistance. "We needed to see you. To know you were safe. We almost came right away, but Regina insisted that we find Roland and Robin."

She watched the Locksley reunion with smile. "And I'm glad we did."

"Mama, it's really you?" Roland asked, his dark eyes wide with amazement. Far too young to understand anything that had happened, he could only look from father to mother for confirmation. "You're really coming back to us, Mama?"

"Yes, sweetie," she confirmed, her voice cracking from the shock of it all. "I'm here now. And I'm never leaving either of you again."

Robin looked from his wife and son to Regina, standing there with the Charming's and Emma. He felt absolutely bewildered because he _knew_ that Regina had _killed_ her! What was going on?

"Marian, you're really you? And you're well?" he finally asked, staring at her.

"Yes. Robin. It's really me." She fixed her gaze solely upon her husband. "Regina and Snow White's daughter saved me."

She looked hesitant, sparing a glance at the other group, before her courage was mustered. "I … know that the Evil Queen was telling the truth. That this is the future." Marian swallowed hard and brushed her thumb along Roland's cheek in a daze. "My son's already grown so much in such a short time … and I missed it …"

Robin pulled her in for a fierce hug.

"Thirty years has passed since I learned you'd died," he whispered. "That long! He's still just a lad, and now you can see him grow up, Marian. We can be a family again."

"But h-how?" She was take back, aghast. "Thirty years … and you're … you're both …" Marian wasn't entirely sure how to finish that sentence. Coming to the future was hard enough to swallow, but to believe that she missed _thirty years_ was absurd!

"The queen's curse," he said simply. "Roland and I were frozen until Miss Swan over there broke the spell. It's… it's a long story. But, we have a second chance now. To my great surprise, the queen found you. And brought you back to us."

"She really wanted to make amends for all of us …" she muttered, really coming to understand that there was no deception in her release. "As crazy as all of this is, how she saved me and how you're both here, she … the Evil Queen _saved_ me..."

"Aye, she did," Robin said, speaking with similar wonder. "I suppose that this life here in Storybrooke really did redeem the Evil Queen."

Roland smiled. "Mama's really home!"

Shuddered as the stress of the last few hours left her and took Roland from Robin's arms to hold him tightly. "Yes, my little darling. Mama's really home."

As she hugged her son, Marian caught a glimpse of the queen looking directly at her family. She gave Robin a look of resolution and began to approach Regina while still holding their son. It was a show of faith, in her mind, to come close to her would be killer with her own flesh and blood.

"Regina." Using the woman's given name felt peculiar on her tongue. "I'm grateful I was wrong about you. You saved me and brought me back to my family. Gave us a second chance." She kissed Roland's temple and stroked his hair, swaying him gently within her grasp. "Thank you."

It was only proper to express her gratitude to the woman that had risked a lot to rescue her, when she and Snow White's daughter did not have to. She had been right to be wary of Regina, but no longer was that necessary.

The mayor inclined her head, gaze shifting from mother to son and back. "You're welcome, Marian. I hope that the future is happy for you now. For all of you."

Emma broke away from her parents, happy to be distracted by something more positive than hearing her parents go on and on about missing her and her safety. Snow and Charming were equally grateful for the family reunion and didn't pick up on their daughter's unease this time, but mother and daughter would still need a long talk together.

"Me too," added the blonde. "Glad we could help give you all a happy ending."

Regina slipped her hand into Emma's and gave it a squeeze. "Yes. A happy ending."

Robin approached, looking tongue-tied with emotion. He nodded brusquely and offered his hand to both Emma and Regina.

Emma let go of Regina's hand and shook his hand firmly. "I'm going to presume all of us are squared away with the past?" She smiled knowingly because pixie dust and murders had caused a huge rift between the three of them. Some were newer bouts of jealousy, or revenge-planning that were thirty years in the making.

"Aye, Emma. What's done is done." He then looked to Regina. "Thank you for righting your wrong. I … I could never imagine …" Shaking his head, his gaze dropped and searched for his wife and son, unable to express his gratitude properly.

"You're welcome, Robin," Regina said firmly.

"Well, here's what I think," Emma smiled and patted Robin on the back. "I think that you three need to get a ride back to where the Merry Men are so you _all_ can have a huge reunion together. Then, stop by Granny's later tonight since I'm sure my parents are going to throw yet another, the town is saved and we need to celebrate at Granny's, party."

"That sounds really nice," Marian agreed. "What do you think Roland?"

He grinned and kissed his mother's cheek. "Let's go home! And go to parties!"

David looked back at his truck and winced. "I really don't have a lot of room for everyone. Most of you will have to ride in the back. Unless you're Regina." He gave her a sideways smirk, "I presume you've already called shotgun?"

Regina smirked at him and squeezed Emma's hand again. "Let me know where we'll find Henry and we'll simply poof ourselves there."

"He's with Belle and your brother. Already taking his responsibilities towards his uncle very seriously," replied Charming.

"Good. We'll be there shortly," Emma said pensively while loosening her grip on Regina's hand.

"Don't fret. I can easily ride in the back of the truck," quipped Robin. "I've rode in worse."

Marian elbowed her husband in the side and gave him a scathing look. "Says you. I was the one being hauled around in a cart trying to give birth to our son!"

"All right! I take it back!" chuckled the outlaw. "Marian's ridden in worse things. But, I will still take the back so you and Roland can have a bit of comfort. Though, it's rather a debatable topic."

"Hey! What's with all the dislike of my truck?" asked a legitimately confused Charming.

"Well… it could use a paint job. Maybe?" Mary Margaret supplied unhelpfully.

Regina chuckled and smiled at the banter. It felt like life was nearly back to normal. She just needed to see Henry with her own eyes and know that they'd kept life here intact with their foray into her past.

Despite everything seeming perfect and happy, Emma needed to know one last thing. "Quick question though. What happened with Zelena?"

"Dr. Whale patched her up," said David. "You really did a number on her, Emma."

"Can't blame me," she said, partly offended that he was bringing up how badly she had beaten her up. "She was going to kill my brother and destroy everything that we knew to exist."

"But she's _contained_ , correct?" Regina clarified, her tone severe as this was such a serious matter. "Zelena has no magic and can't possibly escape?"

"Yes. Gold used Pan's bracelet on her and nullified her magic. She's locked up at the station and poses no threat," confirmed David.

"So … who's watching her then if you're here and Belle's with baby bro?" Emma wondered.

"Hook. And Archie. Of all unlikely partners," Mary Margaret supplied. "Hook is on guard duty and Archie is trying - unsuccessfully - to talk to her about redeeming her ways and healing from how slighted she feels."

Regina shook her head, trying to imagine that scenario. She looked to Emma. "Ready to go see our son?"

At least it wasn't Gold watching her. Emma would hate to see the mess he would make of her as punishment for keeping him under her control. She had a feeling that the chances of that weren't over for that for a long while.

"Yeah." Regina's question took Emma away from her thoughts. "Let's go."

In a poof of purplish-white smoke, the savior and her queen vanished.

Rather than take them straight to Gold's shop, however, the purple-white magic dropped them at the same park bench where they had sat together, with Henry, and endured Zelena's taunts. Regina wanted to see Henry desperately, but she felt this needed to happen first. The park was adequately private, given all the excitement elsewhere in town.

"Uh … Regina?" Emma was understandably confused as she looked around the park that had become a pivotal turning point in their relationship. Zelana's taunting had made the blonde further question what was going on between them. The witch's plan backfired, and here they were … together. So why weren't they checking on Henry? "This is definitely not the inside of the pawn shop."

"I thought we needed a moment, together, before being barraged by our son and by Gold and whatever _he_ remembers now as a result of our little excursion," Regina said matter of factly.

She squeezed Emma's hands, then collapsed down onto the bench out of sheer exhaustion. Regina didn't even want to calculate how many hours she'd been up, across lands, and the odds they'd overcome in their journey. Truthfully, she didn't want to think about it at all, but felt they had to regroup.

"Darling… I do want to see Henry as soon as possible. But, I need to know that we are _okay_ and on the same page after… what… happened," she said, stumbling over her words as she remembered the sight of Emma with her younger Evil Queen self.

"Oh," commented Emma as hands went on her hips and looking defensive. She wasn't quite ready to sit yet. They had been through so much the last couple of days that she had believed that seeing their son and relaxing together until the party tonight was the priority. Everything had moved a mile a second to make sure they come back to the present alive and didn't screw up anything here in Storybrooke. Everything appeared perfectly normal, but who knew if any subtle changes had been created by those past ripples. Like freeing Marian, the prisoners overhearing the plan, how Regina got the wand to bring them back, and then just casually got rid of it. One little change could have far reaching consequences than they could have predicted.

"You really sure this is a good time to go into that?" she said, glancing at the mayor shrewdly. "Even in the best scenario, this conversation won't be quick and painless."

Regina looked up at her, swallowing hard. "Are we okay enough to let the conversation wait?"

"That's entirely on you. I really hate to say that," Emma admitted anxiously. "I'm the one that potentially fucked things up."

She knew in her heart that what she did wasn't wrong. That the woman she had made love to in the past was still _her_ Regina, regardless of what time in her life it had been. The Evil Queen was her true love. Mayor Mills was her true love. Regina Mills was her true love. It all equated to the same answer, but would Regina see that too?

Not knowing how to deal with any of this anyway, Regina nodded and rose from the bench. "Then, let's go see our son."

She considered Regina's wordless acceptance, immediately turning it back into what they were originally supposed to do - go see their son. It was always Regina's first concern, Henry's well being, yet she had stalled seeing him so they could talk about their relationship, because it was _that_ important to her. Should she dismiss that so carelessly, despite both of them agreeing to postpone their much needed talk?

"Wait, Regina," she said quietly, motioning back to be bench with a pensive smile. "Please …"

The mayor remained standing next to the bench, lifting an eyebrow in a look that could be curiosity or impatience. She sighed softly and admitted, "I… only felt that if we didn't talk now, we never would."

"With us, it's a possibility. We tend to keep things bottled up for way too long," she agreed. "Maybe we'll talk in the future. Maybe we won't. Regardless, you wanted to talk now, so we should, and I need to respect that."

Regina nodded again and looked down at the grass, gathering her thoughts. "I'm sorry for what happened. It wasn't fair to you to have to go away with _her_. I'm so thankful you survived her… _me_.. but I'm so sorry that this was how it had to be."

"You're sorry?" Emma's bewilderment was clearly heard in her voice. "Regina… you don't owe me an apology. That wasn't you _now_. And to be honest, my life was never in jeopardy with the past you, once the you back then realized I wasn't going anywhere." Swallowing hard, this was the more difficult part to admit. "Which was the truth because I didn't _want_ to go anywhere."

Regina closed her eyes. "You liked being with her."

"Yes. And no," she explained. "I _love_ being with you. All of you. Being with _you_ back then made me realize that for one simple reason. Well... no. That's not entirely true. I already believed it. What happened confirmed it."

Perhaps it would make more sense for Regina if she could remember what had passed between them, but preserving their lives had demanded that the queen forget.

" _Seeing_ who I had been, knowing what I went on to _do_ … you can still love me?" she asked, daring to meet her gaze at last.

That was the crux of it for Regina. She truly felt ashamed of the monster she'd become in the Enchanted Forest, truly living up to her title as the _Evil_ Queen. And since she had no idea how the Queen had been towards Emma, frankly, Regina could only assume the worst. Because she _knew_ what she was like; she had only to think of how she had treated the Huntsman to have reason to fear what she couldn't remember.

"Again, I can never forget or condone what it is you have done. But I can understand what led you down that path and the choices _you_ made while you were manipulated by your mother and by Gold. I know you hate what you've done in the past and have done so much to rectify your wrong doings. Raising Henry, risking your life to save the entire town, reuniting Marian with her family … just a few glimpses of the potential you really have," she said with green eyes full of love. "And I saw it back then too. I could see the woman that craved desperately for love and who just couldn't believe there was the potential for it to happen again."

Emma entwined her fingers with Regina's and tugged her closer. The brunette smiled uncertainly, wanting to believe in everything that her true love told her.

"Somehow, our kiss broke the concealment spell you had over me. I thought it was for only curses, but it seems that our love was strong enough to break regular magic too. Or …" she shrugged, "... you really do just suck at illusions."

"I… she… saw _you_?"

Regina made a face and looked away. It _hurt_ , knowing that. It hurt because - on some level - her younger self had _recognized_ the chance for true love, and Mayor Regina herself had been the one to forcefully strip the opportunity away from her. Of course, she'd had zero choice in the matter. But still…

Emma waited nervously as she watched the mayor internalizing this, hoping that her honesty didn't doom their relationship.

"At least..." Regina whispered aloud, struggling to come to terms with this, "...at least she… _I_ didn't suffer. I woke up with a pounding headache and no memory of you. There was no pain because there was simply nothing there."

Regina paused, remembering.

"There was only the confusion and rage I felt when Kalyn told me that Marian had escaped…!" She looked up at Emma then, wide-eyed. "I can remember that! I was _furious_."

She laughed, realizing now the irony.

"Really?" Emma looked dubious. "I would've thought since you were there mucking with the past, that you might not actually remember the past as your past self went through it."

_Did that even make any sense? I think I just confused myself._

"I just remember where my memories picked back up, after the potion we made her… me? I don't know how to refer to my past self!" she complained. "Losing Marian just made me more determined to find Snow… and that's exactly what we wanted to happen."

Regina sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Well, yeah. For everyone's sake it was important to get you back on the same path as before. Especially our son's sake," the savior responded firmly, despite a hint of sadness that crept into her voice.

"Yes." Regina closed her eyes and re-grouped, emotionally. "Thank you, Emma. For being able to see the good in me, even then. I… hope I was good to you."

The back of Emma's fingers brushed gently along the mayor's cheek. "You were. And I'm entirely convinced that we could be happy whenever. _Literally_."

That made Regina smile, even if it was tinged with sadness for what her younger self had lost. "Well, you are my true love, dear. I'm convinced of that, especially now."

Frowning, Emma cupped Regina's cheek instead as she looked just as bleak, even if for a moment. "Part of me is sad it didn't work out then too. I felt terrible for leaving you. Even if you don't remember."

That admission both broke Regina's heart and left her feeling exhilarated. Emma truly loved _her,_ every aspect of her. She smiled softly and leaned in, brushing their lips together in a gentle kiss, which Emma returned more firmly. The burden that both of them had been carrying, all of their guilt, had disappeared when Regina pressed their lips together. She clung to Emma then, feeling their magic begin to tingle in addition to the sparks of desire that she felt for the savior.

"Yes…" she breathed softly. "I do believe we are okay. And can go see Henry now."

"Me too, hon," replied Emma just as softly.

Regina paused, then a deep smile crossed her face at the pet name. Emma was noted for being the non-sentimental type, so that meant a good deal to hear the affectionate term on her lips. Regina didn't say a word about it though, and simply used her magic to poof them to Mr. Gold's shop.

With Belle in the back watching the young prince, Henry was in the front of the shop, pouring through books as Gold look on at his grandson with reserved patience. The arrival of Regina and Emma by purplish white smoke had startled their son momentarily, who almost dropped an old tome onto the floor. "Careful, lad. That's a thousand year old text," he gruffed before looking at his guests.

Henry was far more welcoming. " _Moms!_ "

He immediately ran around the corner and tackled the two of them into his arms. "You're both back and safe!"

"Yes! We are!" Regina said, oofing softly as Henry thudded into them at full speed. "We're both back and stronger than ever."

"That's right, kid." Emma ruffled Henry's unruly hair and kissed into it. "Back home safe and sound."

Which was a crazy notion that she never thought would happen. Believing that Storybrooke was _home._ Sure, there were a ton of issues that she had to work out with her parents, especially Snow, but this was the town that Henry had brought her to so she could meet the mayor. That was the real unexpected change that her life took when her son had found her. That he was bringing her to the home that she had been yearning for as long as she could remember back in foster care.

"You really went back to the past?" Henry asked, incredulous.

"We really did," Regina confirmed. "Evil Queen, Rumpelstiltskin, and all."

"Aye," came Gold's voice as he came from behind the counter to stare at them. "Next time ye take a magical item of mine, take a bit more _care_ with it, will you?"

Regina lifted her brows, staring at him. "You knew it was me?"

He rolled his eyes. "I see the past and the future. You'd _think_ someone around here would remember that by now! Of course I knew it was _you_ , dearie, and not your younger queenly self. She _couldn't_ have managed that spell as well as present day you could."

The brunette smirked and blushed at the off-hand compliment. She pondered what it meant what it meant that Rumpel had _known_ things were amiss at the castle that night. Had he shown up by chance then? Or to facilitate her acquiring the Black Fairy's wand? Gold seemed to divine her thoughts and smirked knowingly.

"You're just lucky that tossing it carelessly aside didn't have greater consequences than it did, Regina," he said.

"Wait. How come you gave grandpa and Belle such a hard time at the barn then?" asked Henry inquisitively. "They said you didn't want to help because it was impossible and foolish. Was that because the past hadn't changed yet? Or were you being your usual crotchety, cryptic self?" finished the young man in a surprising moment of defiance.

Regina laughed.

"Aren't you just being a sassy young man, Henry," Gold replied with a smirk.

"Well, can't blame him for asking," Emma said with a chuckle. "But I think in this case, two things could've happened here, Henry. Gold was being his usual crotchety, cryptic self because if he said anything, it could ruin any chance of us coming back - no matter how slim. Or, he honestly didn't have a clue yet because the past hadn't officially changed. Either way, it doesn't matter. Sounds like we didn't mess anything up." She spared a glance at Regina. "Thankfully…"

"Yes," Regina said emphatically. "Thank you for taking care of Henry while we were away."

"And unnamed baby bro," Emma added with a smirk. "Appreciate your help. And Belle's."

"Of course," Gold said sardonically. "As you reminded me once, we _are_ family now."

"That we are. Glad you remembered. Or visioned it. Or, whatever it is _you_ do."

Gold and Regina chuckled at that. She rested a hand on her son's shoulder. "Ready to head home, Henry?"

"Yes. Definitely!" he declared before wrapping his arms around Regina's waist in a tight hug. Henry was so relieved that everyone was safe, and that what he always believed remained true - the good guys always won.

She hugged him back and smiled at Emma. "You too, dear?"

Emma's face scrunched up in confusion to the question. "Um, what?"

Regina chuckled. "Ready to go home?"

"Yeah, I guess." She looked over at Gold. "I figure the parents are coming back to pick up princeling?"

"Aye. That's correct."

Nodding, she looked back at Regina and Henry, figuring it was probably a good idea to check in at the apartment. "I'll poof home and catch up with you guys before the party?"

" _Oh_. Alright, dear," Regina said smoothly despite the surprise she felt. She had simply expected that Emma would come _home_ with _them_. "We'll see you a bit later then."

Henry was quite astute at what was happening here and had to laugh. His parents were so transparent except when they were talking to one another. "Uh, Ma? Mom wanted you to come home with _us_. To the mansion," he said matter-of-factly because it was so obvious!

Emma shifted back and looked completely lost as she regarded Henry. "Really?" And repeated the exact same look towards Regina when her smirking son failed to answer the one worded question. " _Really?_ "

The brunette rolled her eyes and ignored Gold's expression out the corner of her vision. "Yes, dear. Henry would tell me to be clear and state that you are _our_ family, so of course I want you to come home with us."

To which their son nodded knowingly with a smug look on his face, which annoyed Emma to no end.

"Why didn't you correct me then?" asked the savior with a pout.

She already felt that home was with the two people standing before her, but it wasn't like Emma would push for a change in their dynamic so easily. Coming home with Regina and Henry meant a lot more to her than just hanging out at the mansion before the night's festivities. She wanted something permanent that wasn't filled with regret, and needed a lot of work to patch things up; and with her brother finally here, room in the loft was becoming premium space. Emma needed her own place, or at least shared space with the people she wanted to surround herself with that gave her life real meaning. Mary Margaret and David were good people that had made terrible decisions, but they'd taken forever to come clean because they felt that they did it for the greater good. It was better since they accepted Regina was in her life, but it was a long time coming for her to move out. Of course, she realized she could be easily misinterpreting everything that Regina meant, as usual. But it was the first time in a long time that Emma's mind was thinking long and longer term. Even wanting to solidify it further.

Regina reached for Emma's hand and guided her family out of Gold's shop. She really didn't want him listening in and was quite confident that Gold didn't _want_ to hear it either. He had his own peculiar relationship with the bookworm to work on.

"Emma… I thought that if you wanted to spend time with your parents that that was simply your choice," Regina said once they were on the sidewalk and walking down Main Street. "We'd been through a lot in the last week and I could understand wanting to connect with them. Well, not really. But, if that's what you'd wanted, I would understand."

Between them, Henry chuckled. No matter what, he supposed, Regina would always find a way to make a snarky remark about Snow and Prince Charming!

"I'd… be very happy if you wanted to change your living arrangements," she continued. "After all we've been through, I'd love if you'd call 108 Mifflin Street home with us."

Henry's eyes lit up! He had to contain his enthusiasm, forcing himself quiet because he wanted Emma to come to the conclusion of what was obviously the right answer. Which was to say yes!

"I was hoping you meant that. When you asked about coming home," Emma admitted. She wrapped a casual arm around Henry's shoulders and drew him closer. "I just didn't want to jump to conclusions."

Henry leaned against his mother as they continued to walk, so happy this was happening. It was a dream come true having both of his moms together like this, especially when all he wanted was them to stop fighting and work together!

Regina smiled. "Good. You _are_ part of our family, my dear."

"A crazy idea just a couple years ago, moms," quipped Henry, making Emma laugh.

"Couldn't agree with you more, kid."

The brunette chuckled and beamed a radiant smile at the blonde. "A couple years ago… this would've been unfathomable! Now, I can't imagine it any other way."

Green eyes looked over at Henry and then to Regina with the biggest smile on her face. "Neither can I, hon. You and Henry are my home."

Henry made a face and wordlessly mouthed, _hon_ , wondering where that came from!

* * *

"Henry, are you ready yet?" Regina called, her voice carrying up the stairs.

Clad in a sleeveless black dress and black heels with a cornflower blue scarf around her neck, she glanced at the grandfather clock and realized they were cutting it too close. Henry was dawdling and Emma hadn't even returned from her impromptu departure. Regina Mills disliked lateness, but it was looking like she'd have no choice but be late… unless she left her family behind!

_My family. Who'd have thought._

Regina caught her smiling expression in the mirror and chuckled at herself when her phone buzzed, indicating she received a text message. She plucked her phone from her purse and called up to Henry again as she looked down to read the text that was from Emma.

_Sorry. Runnin late. Meet u 2 at Granny's._

The mayor sighed and replied back with a simple, _OK. See you there. :-)_ Regina thought that the smiley face was needed lest Emma think she was upset. All she could think - as she glanced back up the staircase - was that she knew from where Henry's tardiness had come from; the young man came by it honestly!

 _Would not miss it ;)_ , came the quick response back as Henry barreled down the staircase. He was still wearing the same clothes as before, just opting for a new, clean, shirt at his mother's insistence.

"I'm ready!" he stopped at the landing, putting his grey and red stripped scarf on and noticed that someone was noticeably missing. "Where's Ma? I thought all three of us were going together."

"So did I, my prince. Emma… well, your _ma_ says she'll meet us there. Whatever mystery mission she's on has delayed her," Regina replied. She smiled and smoothed the shoulders on his shirt. "You're all set?"

"Yeah," Henry said with a roll of his shoulders, giving his mother a patient look as Regina was being overly motherly with him. "Did she tell you why she's running late?"

Regina slid her purse onto her shoulder and grabbed the keys off the sideboard table.

"No, she didn't," she said. "Did she give you any hints?"

"Nothing. Just had to do a quick errand before she'd meet us here," he said with a shrug. "Weird."

Regina nodded and ushered her son out the door, locking up behind her. "Well, it must have been important, whatever it was. And so long as it's not a magic portal, a curse, or an unknown relative causing problems, I can abide the lateness today." She chuckled because all of those scenarios described the last several weeks of their lives. "So, we'll see her there."

Henry scowled, wondering what could have been so important to keep Emma from joining them. She wasn't usually that secretive, which made him curious if she went to see her parents to smooth things over, but then another possibility crossed his mind.

"You don't think she went to check on Zelena, do you?" he wondered aloud before looking at his mother. "Grandpa said things were pretty intense before you guys got sucked into the portal."

Regina sighed. "Yes, it was, and I certainly hope _not_. If she did that, I'd hope Emma has enough sense to go see Zelena with back-up." Shaking her head, she unlocked the car doors and slipped inside. "Let's hope her secret venture is something far more benign."

When Regina and Henry arrived at Granny's, the party was already in full swing - but with a few notable absences. Hook had remained at the sheriff's station to continue his watch over the Wicked Witch along with Doc and Happy as backup at Snow's insistence. She didn't trusted the pirate or understood his motivations in assisting them now that his reason for behaving, her daughter, was with Regina.

Despite being "redeemed" as it were, Regina still couldn't help but feel awkward as they entered and found herself blushing over the cheers and attention directed toward Henry and her, but it was really just her since her son had joined in the cheering.

She waved a hand and chuckled, taking the proffered glass of beer from Grumpy. That said something and Regina knew it; at one of the other parties at Granny's, he'd drawn a knife on her! Her face disappeared behind the heavy glass tumbler, taking a drink. Henry was handed a soda as he looked around, and much to his dismay, he didn't see Emma yet. He decided to test out if his one theory was true and walked up to his grandparents of the Charming variety.

"Did Ma come and talk to you at all today once you dropped off Robin Hood's family?"

Snow tilted her head to the side and gave Henry a funny look. "No… she didn't come by the apartment. Why?"

"She had an errand to run, and I was hoping it was to talk to you guys." He smiled good naturedly. "You know me, I always have to figure things out. Especially what my parents are up to when they're trying to act covertly."

Mary Margaret smiled, paused, and then realized Henry was talking about Emma and Regina as his parents. It threw her off just slightly, but then she shrugged it off.

"Oh! Sorry, Henry. I've not seen or heard from her. But, I'm sure she'll be here soon…?"

"I wouldn't worry too much, Henry. I'm sure Emma's fine," David said with his usual optimism.

"She said she would be …" he offered.

"Oh?" David lifted his brows curiously. "She contacted you?"

"Yeah. Just before mom and I left to come here. She texted us."

"Well, there you go then!" Mary Margaret said optimistically, but almost dismissively. "Emma will likely be here any moment!"

Meanwhile, Regina lingered by the bar, carefully sipping her glass of beer. She entertained a few curious residents who'd asked if it was true that they'd traveled back to the past with Zelena's time portal. She felt pleased but awkward at having a conversation with them, but - after all these years - perhaps it was an actual step forward with the Storybrooke locals. It was then that she realized that it had been almost an hour since Emma had last texted.

Excusing herself, Regina decided she didn't have time for the slow process of typing a fresh text to her true love. Instead, she dialed her directly as she stepped out the back of the diner and stood on the small porch off the alley.

It was picked up right after the second ring.

"Hello, Regina," came Emma's crisp voice like nothing was wrong.

"Oh. Hello, Emma. I… just wanted to check in and make sure all was well. We expected to see you at the diner by now. You do remember the party is at the diner, correct?" she asked, half-kidding.

"Haven't forgotten at all. I was just curious how long it was going to take for you to find me at the party. Stiiiiiill waiting …" she admonished.

"What?" Regina snapped. "I've been in the diner the entire time, until I called you now. You are _not_ at the party."

"Really? I'm not? Huh." There was a two second pause for dramatic effect. "Are you sure? Did you look … _everywhere_?"

Regina rolled her eyes, never one much for games like these even under the best of circumstances… especially right now. She stepped back into the diner, scanning the party-goers. Henry was in an animated discussion with Pinocchio, she noted, but Regina did not see Emma anywhere.

"Alright. I'll bite, darling. Where's _everywhere_ in this particular case?"

There was a chuckle over the receiver. "Gave up already? That didn't take long."

Regina bit the inside of her cheek. She'd been too keyed up to nap when they'd gone back to the mansion and while she wasn't exactly fatigued yet, the brunette was aware that she'd been awake for an obscene number of consecutive hours. Her patience was apt to wear thin quickly.

" _Emma…_ " she hissed, nearly calling her Miss Swan in the moment.

"Okay, _fine_. Check out front."

Regina smacked her own forehead and realized she was wearier than she realized. "On my way," she replied and hung up. Touching Henry's shoulder, she whispered to him that Emma was apparently outside and she was going to check in with her.

"Great! Let's go," he announced heartily, already presuming that was an invitation to join his mom.

Regina looked a little embarrassed. "Wait here for just a moment, okay, dear? I'm not sure what your _Ma_ is up to, but she was clearly toying with me regarding her location. I'd like to see her alone first."

"See, Pinocchio?" Henry looked over at his young friend and rolled his slowly. "Told you."

The two boys shared a smile before Marco's boy was laughing. "Yeah. Secret adult stuff."

"Be nice or I'll ruffle your hair, Henry," Regina whispered, teasing.

"Don't worry," he assured the younger boy, "we can continue talking about this after she leaves. Ruffled hair or not!"

She arched both eyebrows at Pinocchio, shook her head, and gave Henry's shoulder a squeeze. After interacting with him as August, seeing him as a boy was a little unnerving!

With that, Regina skirted around dwarves who were talking about starting a drinking game; she shuddered at the very thought and headed out the front door of the diner to find Emma. The savior was casually sitting on one of the benches with her legs sprawled down its entire length with silly, wide grin.

"Took you long enough," she said with a fearless smile. Clearly Emma had an agenda that she wasn't sharing - _yet_. As Regina approached, she swiveled her legs around to sit properly and patted the space next to her. "Have a seat."

"We were worried about you, you know. Henry started interrogating your parents over your whereabouts and curious behavior," she told the blonde as she sat down.

"Well, I think it's rather cute how he worries and has to go all detective. Bonus points for bothering my parents," she jested, quite amused at their son's gusto.

Regina smiled. "Indeed. So… why _are_ you sitting out here, darling? The party _is_ partly in our honor for defeating the latest Storybrooke evil-doer."

"I had an errand to run. Just took longer than usual because it required a special order," she admitted and leaned over for a kiss, purposefully not explaining anything further.

Regina was trying to process what could possibly be a special order just then, when they'd only made it back to town hours ago, when Emma kissed her. She touched her cheek and smiled against her lips before drawing back to gaze at her.

"That was quite the kiss, Miss Swan," she said playfully.

"I can completely overshadow it though," Emma teased back confidently. She reached into the inside jacket pocket and pulled out something obscured by her hand. Regina could only catch a glimpse of black. "Got a present for you."

"A gift? As a special order?" Regina inquired, puzzled. "Or, is your secret special order the graphic novels I'd forbidden Henry to buy?"

Laughing, Emma shook her fist. "I'm not that good to hide shrunken graphic novels in my hand here. So no. Not that."

She set her hand down on the faded table but did not move her hand away just yet. "If you don't accept it right now, know that it's cool. We've been through a lot in such a short time. I mean, we were barely talking to one another when I came back. And now?" Her face lit up in absolute disbelief. "We're moving in together. Has it even been a couple of weeks? Things always go from zero to hundred around here without much effort."

Regina glanced at her hand, then met her gaze. "Emma?"

"I wanted to make it special, so _please_ don't hate me for going to Gold. I know I'm not ready to make stuff like this, and I figured since we got his dagger back - the bastard owed me a favor for a change." He also returned the necklace that could nullify Emma's magical abilities. It was only fair that the items that could hold power over them were returned to the rightful owners, it was just unfortunate that the magic couldn't be immediately removed from the swan pendant. Gold had said that the anguish of ruining the symbol of his son's love for Emma by imbuing it with power over her would not be magic so easily withdrawn. For now, at least it was safe.

Emma finally removed her hand so that Regina could see what she had been concealing the entire time, a small black jewelry box. Brown eyes went wide, shifting from the box to Emma, and back. She bit her lip and took a sharp breath when Regina realized she was holding her breath. "Emma…?"

"Who knew the mayor would ever say my first name in awed repetition?" she said with adoration. "Now before I explain further, will you kill me if I said I kind of _borrowed_ your earrings?"

Regina crooked a brow. "No…? But do explain, dear."

"Since we came back and talked about what happened back … then…" It really was absurd trying to talk about their past as being part of everyone's past that had long since past! "I kept going back to the night I brought Henry home to you. I mean, that's the moment that _everything_ began for us. That was the moment that everything I've ever wanted since I was a kid was given to me. I just didn't know it yet."

Regina smiled softly, remembering how severe she'd been with Emma. She'd been responding to her fright from Henry's disappearance and the terror she'd felt that the woman would steal her son from her, no matter that it was a closed adoption. Instead, she'd managed to steal her _heart_.

"I didn't know it then either." Regina took Emma's hand and gave it a squeeze. "But what of my earring?"

"I wanted something from that night." Emma reached over the table and nudged the box forward with an enticing smile. "So, needless to say, the earrings you wore that night are totally ruined. But their sacrifice was not in vain."

 _She's proposing to me!_ Regina took a deep breath and held out her hand so that Emma could slide the ring onto her finger.

"I didn't even ask you yet!" Emma slid the box into the palm of her hand after noticing how eager it was for Regina to accept her gift, but she didn't pry the the case opened just yet. "I'm not crazy then for doing this?" she asked quietly, lightly rubbing the edge of the box's hinge nervously. "This isn't too fast?"

"No. We're true loves, Emma. Somehow… we are _meant to be_. I believe that with all my heart."

"Even in your past," she confirmed more adamantly, her reservations fading away with Regina's understanding and approval. "We were always meant to be. Things were never so clear than it was back then. It made me realize how lucky I am to have found you."

She finally opened the box. The ring inside was of similar design to the necklace that Emma had always worn, weathered and rough, but just slightly thicker in weight. Embedded into the metal of her once necklace were the two pearls that were once Regina's earrings, just shrunk down to the proper size of the ring, it's own metal loosely woven into the metalwork as if were threaded in. "Gold added the diamond between the pearls. He said it was only proper since we're royalty. I asked him why he cared, because I sure as hell don't. He didn't answer. So, I'm going to trust it's not cursed…"

"Emma… this is beautiful. And poetic, truly," Regina whispered. "So beautiful and thoughtful. I appreciate that it's so personal and unique to us. And… I am so thankful that you could find value in my past self. That you could completely love _me_."

Tears pricked Regina's eyes at the symmetry of a non-ring becoming a symbol of love in her life as she finally understood. It was just like Daniel using the loop from the saddle in her mind.

"I'm just glad you can still love me because of what happened between us. Even if you can't remember," she admitted with a disheartened sigh. Emma quietly struggled with the knowledge that she was the only one that remembered that night because it was an injustice to the love they shared. A love that Regina could not appreciate what happened between them because she had been rightfully forced to forget them.

Regina smiled though, and shook her head. "Don't worry about that. Trust me."

Again, she presented her ring finger toward Emma, smiling expectantly, as the blonde gave her a shrew look. "I technically didn't even ask you yet …" she teased, taking the ring out of the box.

Regina chuckled. "Oh, I know. I expect to hear quite the proposal out of you, _Miss Swan._ "

"Ouch. Going formal now, _Madam Mayor?_ " Emma dusted off her knee in obvious playful preparation. "Means all formalities need to be observed, huh?"

"Oh, absolutely," she replied, eyes dancing with mirth. "I actually _want_ to hear this proposal. So formalities must be observed!"

Emma threw her hands out in concession, offering a smirk of approval. But it was her eyes that bore straight into Regina's with a seriousness that caused a knot of anticipation in the mayor's chest. "Who am I to deny you?"

Regina smiled and stared intently at Emma, barely breathing as she watched her take a knee before her. Emma's expression sobered up completely the moment that she took the offered hand, her other holding up the symbolic ring between them. "I know where my forever is. It is with you and Henry, and it would be my honor if you would marry me."

It was simple and to the point, and completely heartfelt. Regina nodded eagerly as she blinked away tears. "Yes, Emma. Yes!"

Smiling as a surge of emotions caused tears to dangerously prick Emma's eyes, she slid the ring over Regina's finger, making them officially engaged. All the teasing aside, she had been nervous that somehow she'd be rejected. She had wondered if they would both come to the same conclusion that this was wickedly fast and they needed more time to process everything before agreeing to marry, even if every scenario that Emma visioned had the two of them together as a family together with Henry.

"I love you, Regina." She whispered the words, her voice on the verge of cracking from the weight of emotion she was carrying.

Regina didn't immediately reply as memories surged back just as she'd designed: when she'd created the memory potion that was delivered to the queen through the wine Emma had her drink, Regina had ensured there was a way to break its effect. The way to do it was to have an engagement ring - from Emma - slide onto her finger. As planned, every second from their night together came rushing back. Regina closed her eyes as memory and emotion hit her hard; she had the reality that Emma had wanted her then and wanted her now overwhelming her senses.

"Emma… dear, I love you…" she gasped, opening eyes that were bright with tears. "And… I remember _everything_ …"

Green eyes drifted across Regina's features, utterly dumbfounded as to what the implications of _that_ statement meant. It was exactly what she wanted and now that it was here, the memories of the night they had shared, she momentarily felt a rush of panic.

"You, remember?" Emma said aloud to make it real.

Regina remembered and loved her, just as how she believed it would happen within her heart. It was just her head freaking out for no good reason. Like it had been stated between them numerous times - they were true loves no matter where or when they were. With the panic gone, it made the wheels spin and Emma flinched back in awe.

"But … _how?_ You drank the potion back then. There's no way to remember because our true love lip locks aren't supposed to break potions." She frowned as her train of thought completely lost focus and began wandering. "But … it did break the illusion spell on me. I didn't feel any magic this time though… And you're so lucky I didn't drink the potion too!"

But then she realized, Regina would have woven the spell so that both of their memories would return from the potion in that bottle.

Regina smiled and pulled Emma up to her, hugging her tight. "I built this into the potion when I created it that night. That, when you proposed to me someday, it would restore my memories. Yours too if necessary, but I believed you wouldn't take the easy way out. That you would want to remember, even after explicity warning you not to."

"Whoa! Waitaminute!" She pulled back, completely dumbfounded. "You … you just _knew_ that I'd propose to you? What if I never did, Regina?!"

The mayor smiled. "I just knew that _if_ we were ever to wed, it would have to be that you who would propose to me. That you would need to feel secure and sure about that sort of plan for yourself. For us. And, I thought that would be the perfect way to reconnect those memories so that there was no doubt that you are my past, present, and future, in the same way that I influenced so much of your life, Emma."

"And all of this just happened in like _two_ days. Barely two days!" she said in wonder. "I mean, it felt right. Everything. It's … just … _wow_ , Regina. You were so … _understanding_ of what happened. So sure that it wouldn't hurt our relationship. You were _always_ sure … "

Regina pursed her lips, deciding internally if that was as true as Emma felt it was. She gazed at her thoughtfully. "Honestly? I trusted you implicitly. But, as _me_ in that carriage with you, I feared _for you_ , Emma. I feared what my younger self would do… knowing how she was toward people. How _I_ was toward people..."

She fell silent, experience the surreal truth it was to hold two perspectives of that night in her mind. She remembered how she felt as adult Regina, the mayor, and also how she'd felt as the Evil Queen. It was a gift to be able to remember both and to realize how _deeply_ she loved Emma Swan.

"But, it was both aspects of me who ended up falling in love with you. Losing my memories was the _only_ way for us to safely escape, and it was a kindness to block my memories in the moment. I can't imagine if I ever lost you now and how I would've acted, as queen, if I'd remembered the next day…?" Regina shook her head because it would've been terrifying and surely would've changed their lives present-day. "I am so thankful you could love me, after everything."

Emma had let Regina take all the time she needed to express her feelings. It was not anything at all that came easy, a source of enormous friction between the two of them previously. But, it was also a way they challenged each other in order to bring out their better selves and more importantly, allowed Emma to open up her heart to another. It was effortless … once she realized that she was actually in love with Regina and that those feelings were reciprocated. It was the only reason she was thankful to Zelena since it forced the two of them to talk. The trip to past, it had its merits, but it wasn't entirely necessary to solidify what was in her heart - that Storybrooke was home, with Henry and Regina.

She picked up Regina's hand and lightly pressed the palm of her fiancée's hand to her lips, eyes so full of love and an eagerness for the future that Emma had never had in years. "I will _always_ …" she paused purposefully for effect and winked, "... love you."

Emma Swan was a complete and utter Charming brat.

Regina laughed softly, getting the joke.

"Everything happened for a reason, Regina," she said seriously now. "How it was supposed to. We don't need to worry about what ifs anymore. The future's what _we_ make it, and we get to do that together. Something that you and I always knew was meant to be."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, dear," Regina replied.

And with that said, she leaned closer and kissed Emma passionately, deeply. Unbeknownst to either of them, the revelers in Granny's all peered through the front windows and door, watching them. It was Mary Margaret who couldn't hold back any longer and flung the diner's door open, flying down the steps.

"I can't believe it! You're going to get married!" she cried out.

Regina's head flew back and took in the sight of the pixie brunette standing over them. She'd expected a fight, until she saw the delight in Mary Margaret's eyes.

"Can we go poof away now?" asked the blonde in a somewhat serious whisper, not turning around.

Regina glanced back at Emma and couldn't hide her smirk. She chuckled softly and quoted Mr. Gold. "All magic comes with a price, dear. This is ours now."

"Aw, man. You did not _just_ quote Gold and equate dealing with my parents as the price for true love!" she whined, pouting further as Mary Margaret pulled her up and into a jubilant embrace.

Regina winked at Emma and rose to meet Mary Margaret's embrace when she grabbed onto her too.

"We're family again," she whispered.

The mayor flushed at the passion in Snow's voice. "Yes, dear. I suppose we are."

"But as a _real_ family," Henry chimed in as he finally waded through the crowd to see his parents and hugged each one of them when Mary Margaret finally let him have some room. "This is so awesome! But unlike grandma, I can totally believe this."

Regina smiled and looked from Henry to Snow; it was time for her to blush now. Her gaze drifted over the various townspeople and family who'd poured out of the diner on the heels of her former adversary. Everyone looked happy. It was hard for Regina to fathom, honestly, but it was true nevertheless. She looked back to Emma and smiled, who immediately smiled back with a radiance not often seen from the savior.

"I think this is a good time to show your parents what you found, Henry." David's voice cut through the noise of the assembled crowd.

"You holding out on us, kid?" asked Emma, playfully shoving their son's shoulder.

"Henry?" Regina lifted a brow, curious to what David could be talking about.

"Well, I wasn't holding out really. I was just curious if …" he shrugged and smiled mischievously. "You know what? It's better if I show you."  
He grinned at his grandfather before running back into the diner.

Regina was about to ask David what in the world they were talking about, but he saw her expression and merely shook his head. Henry was back in a flash anyway, leaping down the last two steps and careening toward them with his storybook. In the past, Regina would have freaked at his jumping the stairs like that. After surviving Neverland, her reaction had tempered some.

"What is this all about, Henry?" she asked with a puzzled smile.

"Well, since you two went into the past, I was curious about the book and if there could be changes. That maybe you and Ma had already been there, and I could look for clues that could help us rescue you," he explained.

"We were like Marty McFly, kid." Emma smiled easily as she wrapped an arm around Regina's shoulders. "Totally had interactions, but made sure to fix them so we didn't mess anything up when we came _back to the future_!"

Regina chuckled at that analogy, but wondered if Emma was wrong, given the enthusiasm on Henry's face. "How did we do? We… didn't change your book, did we?"

"You did," he said pointedly but couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear. "You changed the book!"

She looked to her fiancée, eyes wide. "We did?"

"Well, it can't be bad." Emma immediately second-guessed herself and spoke without her previous confidence. "Right? I mean, everything's fine … Nothing change… but how could you know? Henry, if we changed the past, how could you even realize that anything's wrong?"

"Henry said the same thing actually," David said to reassure her daughter. "Chances are nothing's changed. Which is impressive considering what we saw in the book."

"Your story was added in and says you preserved the future. " Henry immediately had page 23 marked and opened it before his mothers. It was an illustration of Emma Swan and the Evil Queen sharing an affectionate moment before the fireplace in the queen's chambers, softly gazing into one another's eyes just before they were about to kiss. "The story talks about how the Savior had to take away the Evil Queen's happy ending in order to ensure that everyone's future were secured."

Regina stared at the picture, eyes brimming with tears. She was incredibly curious to know how the story was told, in detail, considering how events had played out. Sighing softly, she looked to Emma and smiled.

"The Savior had to take away the Evil Queen's happy ending in order to ensure that everyone's future were secured... but then she gave it back, and helped to save the Evil Queen in the process," she whispered.

Henry looked at his mother in surprise. "You're not the author, right? Because that's exactly what it says in the book, and you couldn't possibly know that."

Regina tilted her head, surprised. "I think, my prince, this tells us that we are all the authors of our own stories, and capable of creating our own happy endings. If we have the faith to do so."

... The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the changes we came up with and thank you again for reading! =)


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